A Game of Chance: Take II
by SnappleSauce
Summary: The original story had been removed 5/29/12. I don't know why. Anyways, here is the story, posted for the second time. Enjoy! Twenty four tributes have been chosen. Twenty four tributes will compete. Twenty three tributes will fall. One tribute will win. Enemies will become allies and allies will become enemies. This is the 35th Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi, I'm AzianxPersuasion, and I share this account with SnappleSauce, author of The Protector. Recently, A Game of Chance has been removed, and as for the reasons, I do not know. So, for the time being, enjoy A Game of Chance from the beginning. For the next few days, there will not be new content. However, I do love reviews, so review and send me message.  
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**Check out the forum by the way.  
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**h t t p : / / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t /forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/**

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><p><strong>Sorren Princeps – District 1<strong>

Sapphire sits across from me, messing with her hair. It's already perfect so I don't see why she keeps playing around with it. I guess for the Reaping she wants to look her best. My mother is applying makeup to her face, even though she has enough on. My father strolls into the breakfast room, tying his tie.

It seems like I'm the only person not worrying about my looks. Sure I was a bit concerned about my hair sticking up in front of some girls, but not like the rest of my family. Finally, after my mother finishes applying about two tons of makeup, she has an Avox make breakfast. Father doesn't eat, like usual, and leaves about fifteen minutes into the meal. He works at the jewel shop he owns and never likes to be late.

Sapphire eats in complete silence, glancing from me to my mother and back to me. Mother is always the one to talk, even though it's normally about herself. "So, later today, after the Reaping, the girls and I are going to the club to celebrate," mother says excitedly. "Sapphire, I'd like you to join us too." Mother turns to me for a mere second. "You need to train some more with your father after the Reapings. It may be your last year, but it's not your sister's. You'll have to help her train too." She looks at my sister and puts a finger under her chin, gazing into her dark blue eyes. "Are you sure you're getting enough sleep, sweetheart? You're not seeing that boy, are you?"

"No, mom," Sapphire says, pulling away from her. She's the only one that calls mother 'mom.' Mother likes her best, so it makes sense. If I called Mother 'mom' she would scold me.

"Because, the girls at the club say that boy is bad news."

"Dandef says he's planning on volunteering for the Hunger Games this year," Sapphire adds.

"Oh. How wonderful," Mother says, smiling. "That is great. He could win, I bet." She lets go of Sapphire's face, then glances around the room. "Look at the time. Time to go to the Reaping. Sapphire, smooth out the crinkles in your dress. Sorrenson…" I hate it when she says my full name. My father named me Sorrenson because his name is Sorren and I'm his son and so, son of Sorren. To be honest, he probably couldn't think of anything creative and my mother was probably disappointed I was a boy, not a girl. "Fix your tie and your shirt is wrinkly. You ironed it right?" Before I can answer, she's already pulling back Sapphire's hair and primping her dress. Mother ties a light pink ribbon into Sapphire's hair and tugs at the neckline of her pink dress.

Without another word, Mother grabs her purse and clip clops away with her ridiculously high heels. She has a friend in the Capitol that helps her keep up with all the latest fashions. Sapphire and I follow her out the door, heading towards the District Square. Everyone is in their designated groups. Sapphire breaks away from me, greeting her friends and goes to stand in the sixteen year old section. Hannah says hello to her first. They're best friends, inseparable. Then, Skylar comes along, making me chuckle to myself. He's got the biggest crush on my little sister and I doubt she even realizes it.

"Hey, mate," a voice says. My friend, Grays, grins at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I see your pretty little sister there with her friends. Where's her boyfriend, Dandef? I can't believe she's dating him. He's a douche." He scoffs at the name. A while back, Dandef made some snide comments about Sapphire. When the word got back to me, I punched him in the face. A fight ensued and we've hated each other ever since. Sapphire knows I hate him, but she still fell for his "charms" and decided to date him. Although, I have a theory that she's dating him for a better social status at school.

"I'm right here, _mate." _I turn to face Dandef who's staring at me with hard eyes. Behind him are two of his friends, who are both my height. "What did you say about me? Something like I'm a douche?" He narrows his eyes, closing in on Grays and me. We instinctively back up and I gnaw on my bottom lip.

"No, no," Grays says, shaking his head. "I said you're a…a…coouche." Dandef raises a brow, confused by Grays's words. "All the cool kids are saying it these days. How crazy is that?"

"I think it's time we go," I whisper. I hear a scream and spin around. My sister's grinning and runs to Dandef, leaping into his arms and kissing him. I groan and look away, unable to handle their "love fest." "Hey, man, why don't you take your grubby hands off my sister?"

Sapphire stares at me, shocked. Dandef lets go of her, pushing her behind him. "Excuse me?" I straighten myself, trying to look taller. He's only about a couple inches taller than me, but he's still scary as hell. "I can do what I want with your sister. She's mine. All mine!"

"I'm not all yours," Sapphire objects. She moves from behind him, but he shoves her backwards.

"Don't push her," I say.

"Or what? You gonna hit me with your silk tie?"

"No, but I can strangle you with it!" I throw myself at Dandef, punching him in the nose. I hear a crack as it breaks. He pushes me off of him and forces me onto the cold ground. He pins me on the shoulder with one hand and socks me in the face with the other. Sapphire is screaming at Dandef to stop when there's a whistle come from a Peacekeeper. They drag Dandef off of my and shove me towards Grays, who had gotten into a fight with one of Dandef's friends. Other Peacekeeps swarm, breaking us up.

"Act your age!" one Peacekeeper shouts, once they have us under control.

I wipe my mouth and walk away from everyone. I move towards the middle of the crowd of eighteen year olds. Grays joins me, snickering. "You taught him a lesson."

Rosea Viridis marches onto the stage, her pink hair in an elaborate do on her head. She grins, standing at the podium. She begins her long speech about the history of Panem. She claps her hands and two bowls are brought out. One for the girls and one for the boys. Our current victor is Beatrix Soner, who won two years ago. Her auburn hair glimmers in the sunshine and compliments her lavender dress. She looks bored with it all and sick of mentoring kids.

"Ladies first!" Rosea exclaims. She sticks her hand in the bowl, pulling out a single piece of paper. Being part of a Career District, one, no one takes tesserae, and two, one of the Career Tributes usually wins. No one's really worried about who will be picked. Actually, it's a great honor to be chosen. "Sapphire Princeps!"

The group of sixteen year olds separates, and suddenly there's an aisle with Sapphire standing in the middle. She looks stunned, too numb to walk. Her face is frozen with fear. Hannah pushes her forward. Sapphire stumbles in her high heels, but makes it to the stage.

No. Not her. It can't be her. She can't. She won't survive. Not my sister. She just turned sixteen. Why isn't someone volunteering? No one is volunteering! Normally someone jumps at the chance of volunteering. Even Dandef isn't volunteering.

"Now, the gentlemen!"

"_I volunteer!"_ The shout rings throughout the square. People stare at me and begin to clap. It'd been a while since we had a volunteer. A while meaning a couple of years. Then I realize why they're staring. I volunteered. This happened two years ago. In District Three, a brother volunteered to be in the Games with his younger sister. Neither made it out of the arena. I've just repeated history.

I chew my bottom lip, which starts to bleed. It's my last year, and I just ruined it. One or both of us is going to die. I hike up the stairs, palms sweating, and fingers shaking. My mind is a blur right now, but I try to keep thinking about how I have to protect my sister in the arena.

"What's your name?" Rosea asks, running a hand through my hair.

"Sorren Princeps," I say slowly.

"Sibings! How wonderful! Well, Sapphire and Sorren, may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Gabrielle Dictatrix – District 2**

I've been training for the Hunger Games ever since I can remember. My parents were killed by Peacekeepers when I was younger and so, my uncle took me in. He won his Games a long time ago and then he trained me. I can lift over a hundred pounds, run faster than anyone in my class, and use virtually any weapon. I'm fearless and the best at what I do.

For the last two years, girls have beaten me at volunteering. And _both _of them were killed in the final six. They were weak. This year, I will volunteer for the Games and I will win. Like I said, I'm the best.

My uncle leaves me with some of my friends and we head for the District Square. Because we're early, it leaves some time to mess around. I twirl around in my short white dress for my friends. My uncle bought it for me. I've practically got him wrapped around my finger.

"So, last night, I heard that Sabina slept with Emmett and that she's pregnant. How crazy is that?" my friend, Ramona, says.

"Someone say slut," I reply, laughing.

"I never knew she could be so sleazy." We laugh even louder. I flip my strawberry blonde hair back over my shoulder. I give a cute boy a little wave, batting my eyelashes at him. He gawks at me, almost falling over his own feet. I have that kind of effect on boys. A guy would do anything just to get me to say hello, even just acknowledge them. After I get the guy I want, I use them, and when I'm done, I just toss them aside. Guys are disposable. Period.

"I hope she doesn't get Reaped or volunteer."

"Yeah, don't count on that. I'm volunteering, remember?"

When that one boy is out of sight, I glance at another guy, named Garrick. I've met him two or three times and he's totally in love with me. "Hey there, superstar," I say in a husky tone. I smile slyly and touch his arm. He runs a hand through his ash blonde hair, grinning at me. "I'll see you in the Justice Building."

"Wait, you're volunteering?" he asks stupidly. I mean really, who doesn't know that I'm volunteering? Being in the Games and winning is a great honor. And I want it. I want victory. I want to hear all of Panem chanting my name. I'll be the greatest victor of them all. No one will ever compare to me.

"Of course. Are you?" I say, matter-of-factly.

"I wasn't planning on it," he replies. I roll my eyes, leaving him behind. Ramona and I push through the crowd of seventeen year olds. We meet up with two of our other friends, Enyo and Io. Personally, I think Io is the most ridiculous name ever and I will admit I've stolen Enyo's boyfriend. Twice. Three times. I spend half of my time screwing with them and picking on them. But, they're only hanging with me because I boost their social status.

"Did you hear about Sabina and Emmett?" Enyo says excitedly.

"Course I did. And I knew about it five minutes ago. Where were you when Ramona told me?" I raise an eyebrow at her, smirking.

"Well I was with…" her voice trails off as I turn to Ramona and start a new conversation with her.

"So, who's the new escort? I heard we get a new one," I say.

"I don't know, but I heard he's cute!" she replies.

If he's cute, and if I can volunteer, there's no telling what will go down. "Hm, it'd be a bonus if he's hot and mysterious." My smirk widens as thoughts pop up in my head.

After another fifteen minutes, which is too long for me, our escort comes to the stage. Finally! I was getting bored. He presents himself and I can't help but think about how hot he is. His name is Nox Inferos. Sweeter than heaven and hotter than hell. He has hair black as midnight and a wonderful bone structure that looks like his face has been carved by the gods.

He cracks lame jokes in attempt to liven the crowd. Eventually, he gives up and starts on the history of Panem. Blah, blah, blah. There was a rebellion. Blah. It failed. Blah, blah, blah. Capitol made the Hunger Games. Blah. Whoo-hoo.

"Um…being the gentleman I am," Nox says, fixing his tie, "let's start with the ladies." He smiles, going for the glass bowl with slips of paper.

I chuckle to myself and move towards the front, pushing people to the side. "I volunteer," I say nonchalantly. Next thing I know, I'm on the stage with Nox, telling everyone my name. "Gabrielle Dictatrix." I smirk and wait to see who the male tribute is going to be. I sit next to our last victor, Leo Hasan. He won after District Ten and District Five boy were fighting and killed each other in the 32nd Hunger Games. Last year, some bitch from District Four won. She killed our girl tribute. I was glad when her ally, the boy from Nine, died. He killed our last male tribute. I cheered when Caedis of Two stabbed him with his sword. This year, I'm going to make sure District Four and Nine pay for betraying the Careers and killing our tributes.

"The gentlemen next!" Nox announces. He grins, reaching his hand inside the glass bowl. Surprisingly, no one has volunteered yet. He looks at the paper to read the name, but someone interrupts him.

"I volunteer," a guy says. I search for the person the voice belongs to. I see a boy, a tall and handsome boy, strolling to the stage. He smiles confidently and shakes Nox's hand. Then, he shakes mine.

"What's your name?" Nox asks him.

"Avtlift. Conrad Avtlift," he replies, eyeing me. He looks interested in me, like I have something he doesn't. Oh right, I have skills and a higher chance at winning. Conrad straightens his shirt and messes with his chestnut colored hair. We sit with Leo Hasan, who looks bored and depressed. I don't know why though because the Games are the most exciting thing that happens all year.

"There you have it!" Nox exclaims. "Our tributes for the 35th Hunger Games: Gabrielle Dictatrix and Conrad Avtlift."

"You get in my way and I will take you down," I whisper harshly to Conrad. He chuckles at me and I send him a glare. There's no doubt that this will be an interesting game to play and I think I know who I'm going to kill first.


	3. Chapter 3

**Maxwell Hoover Demonico – District 3**

"Maxwell Hoover Demonico!" My mother's shouts resonate throughout our small home. "Get your worthless ass down here! You're going to miss the damn Reaping!" What a gift it would be not to go to the Reaping and not to be picked to go to the Hunger Games. I wish it was like that, but it's not.

I set down my invention that I'd been working on and put away some of my books. They're old and ripped, but in good enough condition to read. I tug on a dark blue polo shirt and a pair of khaki pants.

"Maxwell!"

I sigh, trying to finish cleaning my room a little. Suddenly, my door bursts open. "You better get downstairs, boy! Right now. And don't even think of getting breakfast. Go straight to the District Square." She shoves me out the door. She hasn't even shut it yet and I can hear her mumbling to herself. "_I hope that piece of crap goes to the Games. Take a burden off my hands."_

I shove my hands in my pockets, walking down the street over to Puckee's home. He is what other people call my "fellow dork." But, Puckee's more than that. He's a good friend that listens to my problems and helps me invent new things. They don't always go as planned, but that's the fun of it.

"Hey, Max," Puckee says, wrapping his tie around his neck. We head over to the District Square and prepare for the Reaping. Last year, the girl tribute was killed by muttations. The boy was killed by a Career. The year before that, we had siblings go into the Games and neither made it out. I'm curious to know who this year's tributes will be.

"So, I was talking with my mom and she said that maybe you could move in with us for a while. I know that your mom's a little…you know," Puckee tells me. We don't really talk about my mom. She's cruel and abusive.

"That'd be great," I reply, smiling. I'd do anything to get away from my mom. As we enter the square, I bump into a small girl. She gazes at me with her almond color eyes with a hand in her thick, frizzy, locks of hair. She doesn't look more than ten years old. What's she doing here? You need to be at least twelve to be in this section of the square. "Sorry," I murmur.

"N—no problem." The girl sends me a nervous look, backs up, and eventually runs away from me. Literally.

As we continue walking, I trip over something, stumbling and falling to the cold ground. I glance up and see an older boy laughing at me. "What a loser," he says to his friends. The others laugh, pointing, then march off to their section.

Puckee frowns, helping me up. My pants are ripped at the knees. Great. "Ignore them," Puckee whispers. The only problem is that I can't ignore it. Bullies will always be bullies and they will always bully me. He tries to tell me some math and science related jokes to cheer me up. It works, somewhat.

"Isn't that Cinda?" Puckee asks, pointing to a girl with copper curls in a periwinkle dress. Cinda may be the mayor's daughter, but she's still subject to the Reapings. She's lucky though, because she doesn't need to sign up for tesserae. "Go and talk to her." He pushes me forward. He knows that I have the biggest crush on her, but I try to deny it. With him, he sees right though my denial.

"Okay, fine. I'll talk to her, today," I say. I walk up to Cinda as Puckee blends in with the crowd, eavesdropping. I smile, looking up to her. Cinda is already a few inches taller than me and her high heels add extra height to her frame.

"Hi. You look nice today," I tell her. "Oh! I mean, you look nice every day. You're a beautiful girl. Woman. No, lady. How's it going?" Whenever I get nervous, I start to slur some of my words.

"Um…who are you again?" she asks me. She cocks her head to the side, studying me. Her eyes land on my face, then my ripped pants, and back to my face. I admit it, I'm not the most attractive guy, but maybe there are some girls that go for personality and not looks.

"Me. I'm uh, Maxwell. MaxwellHooverDemonico." My name comes out in a blur; I'm not even sure she got the rest of my name. At least she'd know my first name. But, she'll probably never remember it. I put on an awkward grin. "How is it in your wonderful life? You don't have to sign up for tesserae, do you?"

"You have no idea how to talk to girls, do you?"

"I think this is the longest a girl had a conversation with me. If you count the girl that bumped into me. Well, I bumped into her. But, I—I apologized," I ramble.

"Nice to eh…see you then. Maxwell Hoover Demonico." She gives me an uncertain smile and walks away to join the rest of her pretty friends. She hugs a guy, planting a kiss on her cheek. They move to the sixteen year old section, holding hands. I sigh, feeling like I'm at a complete loss. Cinda has a boyfriend. There goes my chance with her.

Quietly, Puckee and I file into our section with the other sixteen year olds. Chrysanta Diamanto, our escort, glides across the stage in an elaborate maroon colored dress with a tall, ridiculous looking hat. "Welcome to the Reapings of District Three for the 35th annual Hunger Games," she announces gleefully.

Everyone shuts up as she begins telling us the history of Panem. Nothing has changed and nothing will change. "Let's change it up and do the boys first." She plasters a wide grin across her face, drawing a name out of the glass bowl. "Here's a mouth full!" My body freezes with fear. This name must be really long. And I think I know who's name is will be. Puckee Rapidus Metrio Liguritio. My best friend. My best friend, who is like a brother to me, will be sent to his death.

"Maxwell Hoover Demonico!"

"No," Puckee breathes. He stares at me in horror and I stare back, afraid. That's not what I expected. It was going to be Puckee. He has a name longer than mine. I don't want him to go to the Games, but I honestly thought it'd be him. Why me? Is there some sort of mathematical explanation for this?

I slowly saunter towards the stage. Chrysanta beckons me to the stage and my gaze meets our last victor, Devon Reperio. He looks like he hasn't slept in days. I turn around, facing the crowd, practically collapsing into the seat. I glance at the cameras, remembering all of Panem will see this.

"Now, the girlies," Chrysanta giggles. Seconds later, she reads a name. "Pietta Carmelle!"

The small girl I'd bumped into comes out from the fourteen year old crowd. I would have never guessed that she was fourteen. If she wasn't ten, I would have estimated her age being around twelve. The girl's curls bounce on her head as she comes to the stage. She doesn't shake my hand like she's supposed to. Instead she stares at my hand like it has some sort of infection.

_Happy Hunger Games to us…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

_What's my favorite thing to do…?_ My favorite thing in the whole wide world would be night swimming. It's illegal, but not if you don't get caught. A few of my friends and I go swimming during full moons, but sometimes I sneak out other times. I like the adrenaline that courses through my veins and the hype of sneaking out and doing something dangerous.

Last night was a full moon, so we went night swimming. We ended up crashing at a friend's house, too tired to actually go back to our own homes. I especially didn't want to go home. As soon as I'm nineteen, I'm going to move out. Live by my own rules. I won't have anyone to say anything to me.

I open the door to the kitchen and close it softly. Luckily, my shorts are dry and so is my hair. If my father catches me sneaking in, he'll never know I went night swimming. Instead, I see my sister, Kaie. She messes with her brown hair, putting it up for the Reaping.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," Kaie says. She acts like my mother even though she's just a year older than me.

"Never did. Went to a friend's house," I tell her. It was half of the truth and to be honest, I don't have to tell her shit. "And last time I checked, you weren't my mother."

"Did you go night swimming, Lucien?"

"No."

"Really? Because I saw a person that look a hell of a lot like you at the beach last night _with_ a bunch of other people."

"Why the hell were you out that late?"

"How do you know it was late?"

"You tell me."

"Okay, you're starting to piss me off," she says, frowning.

"Good then. Means I'm doing my job as your baby brother."

She rolls her eyes, turning around. When her back is turned, I make a face, sticking out my tongue. I open the fridge door, grabbing a carton of milk and start to drink straight out of it. I pull out a box of cereal, pouring it into my mouth.

"Oh, come on, Lucien. Don't drink out of the carton," she says. "Why do you do that?"

I raise my eyebrows at her. I only do it because it annoys her and it's fun to see her face. "Does it bother you?"

"Yes."

"That's why. Cheers!" I laugh, putting up the jug, pretending like I'm offering a toast to her.

"Father is going to be pissed at you. You know he hates it when you do that."

"He's not here, now is he?" I say, smirking. I throw myself into a seat and prop my feet up on the table.

"I'm here and you two need to get ready for the Reaping," my father says.

I spin around to look at him, a smirk breaking out on my face. He's in a suit with a pin, marking him as mayor. As the mayor's son, I get it pretty good and I never really get to see him. Hence, my rebellious life style that will never change. He complains about it, but I love it. " 'Ello, poppy," I say in a mock Capitol accent. "How you been doing?"

"Stop that, Lucien." He tears the carton and box out of my hands, setting them on the counter. "Don't be a pig." He pushes my feet off the table, cleaning it with a cloth.

"Oh, come on, daddy-o. What's your fuss all about?"

"I'm mad because you don't do what I say. Your room is a big mess! You haven't cleaned it for days and you haven't been doing your chores. Plus, you keep drinking out of the damn milk jug."

"Ask one of the servant people here to do it. I don't have time for cleaning. I've got a life, you know," I tell him. I reach for the cereal and lean back in my chair. My feet go back onto the table with a thump. "You going to the Reaping early, pops?" I stick my hand in the cereal and toss a piece up in the air, catching it in my mouth.

"Listen, I know it's been hard since your mom died…" He begins his talk about how I don't have a mother to guide me through life and how I don't have the manners to be a proper gentleman. It's not my fault my mother died while she gave birth to me. Maybe it was but it's not like I _know_ how women give birth. That's just not right. I don't know how she really died. It doesn't matter to me though because I never knew her and she's dead. "And I know that you're probably upset that you never knew her. The last few women that I've seen, you've chased them off…"

I just tune him out as he continues to lecture me. "That's some great fatherly advice there, old man," I say. I pat him on the shoulder. He gives me that talk every year. He never shares his "wonderful" lecture with Kaie since she's the "good" one.

"That's it. I'm done. Just go and get ready for the Reaping. After that we're going to have an attitude check," my father says, giving up. My ignorance annoys him obviously, but in reality_, ignorance is bliss_. He needs to learn to let go and just have fun. I shrug, heading up to my room. It is a huge mess. But, everything has a place and I always know where those places are.

I toss on a light, sea green button up shirt and dress pants. I find it to be ironic that I'm wearing that color for my shirt since I'm in the district known for fishing. Or maybe that's just me… Anyways, this year's games sound like they could be interesting. Supposedly, the Gamemakers have some sort of surprise for the tributes.

Kaie and I walk to the square. We split away from each other. She goes to the eighteen year old section and I join a bunch of friends in the seventeen year old section. We all laugh and joke around like the Reaping is nothing, and it is because none of us ever get picked. A couple of new girls join us. They spend their time smiling and flirting with me and my guy friends. Of course, we flirt back, but nothing ever happens beyond that. Occasionally, we'll actually go out on a date with a girl, but we never get past a second date. I'm not really in the mood for commitment and relationships. It's not my thing.

I spot out latest victor, Pash Cursor. She won last year after blowing up the tribute from District Two. I liked Caedis, but when Pash blew his arse to infinity and beyond, I have to admit, she looked pretty badass. I think I can do better than her. Pash stares out at the crowd with a stony expression, the only one she keeps on since the 34th Hunger Games.

Emilia Fiore, our escort, skips to the podium. She cheerfully gives us the speech about Panem. We've heard it year after year, so it gets a bit tiring hearing it over and over again. Finally, she gets ready to announce the girl tribute. She pulls out a name, reading it. "Morgan Colliet!" The name doesn't ring a bell, so I figure it's some girl that doesn't stand a chance in the Games.

A girl of average height climbs the stage. She's got a nice frame and her aquamarine dress fits her well. Her long auburn hair is ruffled by the wind as she sits down next to Pash. No one volunteers, so I guess people think that she wants to be in the Games. Next, Emilia starts to call out the boy's name.

"I volunteer," I call out. A couple of my friends cheer, laugh, and clap their hands. They call me brave and courageous. Honestly, I just want to win. And in the arena, there are no rules.

Pash's eyes widen as I saunter to the front. "Lucien Ritsert." My father stands up for a moment, as if he can't believe that it's true. Kaie would never volunteer and this is her last year, so she doesn't need to worry about it. He sits back down and I shake Morgan's hand. She's got a strong grip and I know, I may have to worry about her. She might not be like Pash though, who turned her back on the Careers. This Morgan girl might be pretty good. Perhaps not as good as me though since I've been training my whole life.

Pash examines me curiously, a small smirk crossing her face. Hopefully, she'll be a good mentor. Then again, I may not even need her. She thinks winning the Games is about luck, but it really is about skill and who can survive the longest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

They say that your life flashes before your eyes moments before you're about to die. I wonder if that would happen to me in the arena if I should be reaped. Then, I think about what I would think of before I die. Would I be thanking the heavens for all they'd given me? Would I wonder if I had really lived at all? What would my killer's eyes look like as they delivered the final blow? How would I die? I've heard being stabbed in the stomach and being drowned are two of the worst ways to die.

I've had nightmares years before the Reaping about the Hunger Games set up by the unforgivable Capitol. Two years ago, my brother went to the Games. He had volunteered to keep a younger boy from having to go that hell hole. I pleaded, but he went anyways. He did not return.

"Mom. Nayeli. Stop watching," he muttered to the camera moments before a Career killed him. My mom told me to leave the room, but I saw it anyway. Every night, the images crept into the back of my mind. They left imprints, stronger each time they appeared.

I stand in front of the mirror, tugging on my dress neckline. My mom made it herself. I watch as she fixes my hair into a long fishtail braid. In my hands, I hold my brother's token, a necklace with an infinity pendent, given to him by my father. After my mother finishes tying back my hair, she instructs me to take my younger sister, Mayella, to the Reaping. She's only ten, so she won't have to face the terror of being picked. Mom leaves shortly after to check on an ill friend.

Holding Mayella's hand, we skip to the Reaping. She understands the point of the Games, she just chooses not to. She doesn't want to admit how much my brother's death has affected her. She was just eight and I'm her only sibling now. Mayella's too innocent for the Games. She wouldn't last long if she were in the Games.

I arrive to the Reaping on time, just barely. Mayella breaks away, searching for mom, who is somewhere in the back of the square. I stand next to my best friend, Felix, with the other children. Felix just had his sixteenth birthday and there he is, standing, hoping the odds were in his favor. Maybe he won't go to the Games. I pray I won't go to the Games. My sixteenth birthday is in five days. I don't have time for that. I don't have time to go through the process of going to the Hunger Games. I don't have time to die before I turned sixteen.

"Nay-nay," he whispers, "you made it." He smiles at me, his blue eyes sparkling.

"It's Nayeli, and you know it," I reply, nudging him. He chuckles under his breath, running a hand through his spikey, dark hair. We've been friends for a long time. It all started in primary school when I punched some kids trying to beat him up. I'd gotten into a lot of trouble with my teacher, but on the brightside, I'd received a great friend.

Splendora Trionfo, the escort for District 5, steps up to the stage, her long green curls bouncing on her shoulders. She delicately runs her long fingers across her short matching green dress that had sparkles and gems galore. No matter how many times she attempts to smooth the wrinkles, they're still there. Her irritated expression is enough to make me snicker to myself.

"Welcome to the District 5 reaping!" Her voice booms, emanating from the large speakers. Her tone is overly joyful, enough to contradict my snicker and make me want to hurl. She continues with a history of Panem and why the Hunger Games exist to this day. Finally, she gets to the part that set me on edge. "Ladies first," she says, grinning.

She reaches her bony fingers into the glass bowl sitting on a podium beside her. Agonizingly slowly, she grabs hold of a folded piece of paper. I bounce on my toes nervously. I'd entered my name extra times this year for tesserae. My father recently lost his job, my mother is a housewife, and I'm unable to find work. Without the income to buy food, our supply was growing short. Within a couple of weeks, we'd probably run out if my father didn't find a job soon.

"Vita Rene!" Splendora calls out.

The name sounds familiar, but I don't know the girl. A young girl emerges from the crowd, beginning her way towards the stage stairs. I can't help but notice that she was so small. I'm even skeptical that she was even twelve. I have no idea who she is, but my entire mind goes to my brother, volunteering for that little boy.

When I was younger, I looked up to my brother. He was three years older than me, very tall, and we looked alike. He was kind, fun, and a happy person. Everyone liked him. I wanted to be just like him. During his time in the Games, I couldn't help but wonder what he did to deserve it.

"I volunteer!" Everyone turns to look at me. I hadn't even realized the words came out of my mouth. I can't recognize my own voice. Suddenly, everything sounded like it's echoing. Not many people ever volunteered. The last person to volunteer in my district was my brother. After he died, everyone knew me as the poor girl that lost her brother in the Games.

Finally, I find my voice. I swallow with difficulty and repeat my words. "I volunteer as tribute." The words sting my tongue and my throat like acid as they're processed in my brain. My eyes meet the young girl's. Her brown eyes are huge, but full of thanks and shock. I can't understand why I'd just volunteered to be sent to my death in the place of a girl I'd never met. I just gave her another chance to live for a year.

"Splendid! A volunteer!" Splendora says, clapping her hands together. "Well, come on up. Don't be shy." She opens her arms up to me as I make my way to the stage. I glance back over my shoulder at Felix. His eyes are solemn and sad. He knew my brother well and it hurt him just as much when he died as it did for me. I open my mouth to call out to Felix, give him comforting words. Only the words are stuck in my throat, unable to break free. If I die, Felix would be alone.

My gaze lands on Splendora, the mayor, then Dominare Cacciatore, our District mentor. I stare at the crowd, searching for my mother. Her face is covered by her hands, shoulders shaking. Mayella leans against my mom, holding back tears. Soon, she'll have to face the harsh reality. Another swallow. What would happen to my family didn't even occur to me when I blurted out the words. If I die, not only will Felix be alone, but my mother will lose two of her children for the Capitol's entertainment.

"What is your name, sugar?" Splendora asks.

"Nayeli Morte," I say with a strong tone. I want to show everyone I'm not weak. It was my choice. I will win. I'll bring honor to my family. We'll live in a Victor's Home. My parents won't have to work again. I'll make my brother proud.

"Lovely name." She smiles widely, her dimples showing on the edges of her mouth. She wraps one of her skinny arms around my broad shoulders. "Morte. Aren't you Solem's sister?"

_The 'e' is silent,_ I think to myself. Everyone adds an 'e' at the end of my last name.

I nod, running a light hand over my hand-made dress. I want to wriggle away from her, but I know it'd look bad in front of the cameras if I did. Instead, I fidget with my long, black hair. Usually it was in a high pony tail, but today, my mother pulled it back.

"Excellent!" She points me over to the seats, having me sit next to Dominare. He's a strange man and I'm curious about how he won in the arena. Dominare's a man in his early thirties and I'm not sure which Hunger Games he won. He's not a bad person, but at times he can be a bit bipolar, going from one extreme to another. I'd heard stories about how he won his games. It was something like he acted kind of crazy, fooling the other tributes. Then he'd stab them in the back. Literally.

"Now the boys!" Splendora jumps up and down a little, sticking her skinny hand into the bowl. By now, my face is warm, and my limbs are numb. I'm too out of it to hear who the male tribute would be. I rub my hands together, counting how many times I go from one hand to the other. It has become a nervous habit and I'm definitely nervous at this point.

A boy, about my age, climbs the stairs and stands on the stage as Splendora smothers him. When she lets him go, he runs a hand through his brown hair that's sticking up. He walks over to me to shake my hand. "Kage Hartenn," he says with a smirk. I know him. I don't personally know him, but he's in my class. He's a loner and rebellious. He causes trouble every now and then, but doesn't ever get into trouble.

"Nayeli Morte," I tell him, mirroring his smirk. I give him a firm handshake and study him. I might have to worry about him, but then again, the Careers can deal with him.

We sit down next to Dominare, waiting for Splendora to close the Reaping ceremony. All I can think of is will my life flash before my eyes when I die?


	6. Chapter 6

**Tarragon Layland - District 6**

My mother used to tell me that there's always a happy ending to every story. To be honest, it's complete bullshit. Whoever put that into her mind was cruel and one son of a bitch. I wonder how well happy endings turned out for my mom now that she's buried six feet under.

There is no such thing as a happy ending, especially here in District 6. Today's the day of the Reaping, therefore, there won't be happy endings for two kids. By the end of the 35th Hunger Games, there will be twenty three kids without happy endings.

The only exception is my father, and he still doesn't have the happiest ending. He may be a Victor, but he's stuck with me. My father won the Twelfth Hunger Games. After that, he started taking morphling and after I was born, he decided to gradually give it up. Every now and then, he'd take a shot or two. We live in the Victors' Village, so no one really bothers us.

Downstairs, my father lounges in a seat at the table. A couple of people from the Capitol are fixing his hair and putting some weird stuff on his face. Since he's the last Victor in District 6, he gets to mentor the next tributes. I get no such attention. Not many even know I exist. I'm pretty much a ghost in the town. It's basically no attention or receive sympathy for being a kids without a mother. Which would you pick?

"You should head to the District Square, Tarragon," my father says. With a shrug, I finish buttoning my shirt and slip on my brown shoes. It's just going to be one of those days. The Reaping will be over soon and I'll return to my everyday routine. It's my last year so I won't have to deal with anymore Reapings.

The makeup people leave as I grab a quick bite to eat. "Shouldn't you be leaving, too? You know, do whatever it is you do with the mayor and our escort?" Each year, my father explains what he does, but I never listen and always forget. After eating dinner, I head to the District Square. My father follows, but he splits away from me as soon as we get near a crowd.

I shove my hands in my pockets and squeeze into the overcrowded section of eighteen year olds. A pretty girl waves to me, but I ignore her. She sends me a glare, rolls her eyes, then joins her friends. I don't have many friends. Actually, none at all. As said before, I don't want the attention. Either I'm the son of a victor or the poor boy whose mother died. Or I'm no one. Being nothing sure beats praise and/or sympathy.

I examine the other kids in the District Square. I spy a brawny eighteen year old with scraggly brown hair. To my right are two fifteen year old girls with their hair up in elaborate braids. They're holding hands tightly, making me think they must be really scared about the reaping. Behind me, a boy is kissing a girl. They're "star-crossed" lovers as many would call them and it would suck if one of them got picked. In the twelve year old section, I spot a young girl with her flaming red hair in braids. She stands stoically, not moving. It's her first time having her name in the drawing, but she shouldn't be worried. Her name is in there once and by the looks of how her outfit looks, she can probably afford not to get tesserae.

The mayor begins his speech and everyone turns their heads to listen. My eyes search for the cameras that capture this event. The Capitol and every other District will be watching. The mayor finishes and our escort Vecturia Jemini skips up to the stage. She twirls around in her turquoise dress. This year, her sky blue hair is curly and _huge._ She giggles as she talks. She's so annoying and she's like this _every_ year. She never shuts up. _Never._

"This year will be extra special!" she says into the microphone with her screechy voice. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Her hand eagerly dives into one of the glass bowls. She pulls it out, grinning like a mad woman. The paper is being held up and she circles the stage, adding to the suspense. "The female tribute is…" She opens the slip of paper. "Sage Freedan!"

I keep my eyes straight ahead and wait for the girl to walk up. A familiar head of flaming red hair climbs the stage. She looks into the crowd, eyes aimed towards the older kids and I see a girl with red hair that matches Sage's. Sage is a twelve year old and she's hoping someone will volunteer to take her place, particularly her sister who is in the seventeen year old section. Yet, her sister stays put. Sage's lip quivers as she tries to be brave and she tightly holds the edges of her red skirt.

"Gentlemen next," Vecturia beams. Very slowly, she picks a piece of paper out of a different glass bowl. I watch the mayor and my father, sitting on the edge of their seats. My father keeps an impassive expression on his face as Vecturia reads the name. I'm not too worried about being picked. I didn't put my name in extra times for tesserae. There's a slim chance of me being chosen.

"Tarragon Layland!"

My father just about falls out of his seat and I nearly burst out into laughter. Then, I realize why he nearly fell off his seat. For the first time since my mother's funeral, all eyes are on me. It's a weird feeling and I don't know what to think at first. I take a deep breath, clenching my fists, and take the short walk to the stage. I turn to see Sage biting her nails nervously. My father tries not to show any emotion. The mayor's eyebrows are raised. Vecturia squeals excitedly.

"Oh my goodness! Lookie here! The son of a Victor," Vecturia says, jumping up and down.

I shake hands with Sage. Her hands are so small and they're shaking, proving how anxious she is. I hadn't noticed it, but my heart is racing and my face feels warm. However, I make sure I'm calm and collected on the inside and outside. This is on live television and I can't show myself being frightened. The Career Districts can't think I'm a scared little prick.

Vecturia grins even more. She closes the Reaping ceremony. My father stands up, tromping off the stage. The mayor and our escort follow. Two Peacekeepers direct us towards the Justice Building. There, we'll say our goodbyes. In no time, we'll be on a train to the Capitol. And suddenly, we'll be in the Games. Time will seem to slow down in the arena. One person will come out and twenty three will die.

Sage gazes up into my eyes. She's so small. She probably won't last past the Bloodbath. In fact, I think I'll take bets. She'll be the first to die. My father had me train a little when I was younger. I have a chance at winning, at being a Victor. Sage has no chance.

There is no such thing as a happy ending.


	7. Chapter 7

**Wash Hayner – District 7**

Living in the community home wasn't where I expected to be when I turned seventeen. I'm sitting on the edge of my bed when Miles comes in. He's my best friend and I'd do anything for him, even volunteer for him in the Reaping. Of course, that will never happen because I've been praying that Miles won't get picked and he hasn't for the last three years. If he does and if I was never here, he'd lose. Half the time, District Seven's tributes are killed in the Bloodbath.

I button up my white shirt, and then tie my grungy, leather shoes. In the orphanage, we don't have much. We've got the bare necessities. Food, water, shelter, and occasionally clothes. Usually, we have to buy our own. Miles goes to his closet that we share and puts on a sky blue shirt and tie. "You're tying your tie wrong," I tell him, chuckling.

"What? I'm doing it perfectly fine!" Miles says, putting on a funny face. His tie is definitely not fine. It's in a knot, nearly choking him. I laugh even more, gently pulling his tie off. I untie it, then wrap it around his neck, tying it for him.

"You're fifteen and yet, you still don't know how to tie a tie," I say. "What's going to happen when I'm not here and you're going to go on a date with a girl and need to tie a tie?"

"Stop messing with me, Wash," he says. Miles and the other kids at the orphanage call me Wash. Wash is short for Washington. Miles shortened it. Ever since my mother died when I was fourteen and when I moved into the community home, Miles has been there. "It's you and me against the world. That's what you told me when I asked if you'd be my adoptive brother."

Two years ago, after I'd been at the orphanage for a year already, Miles asked me if I would be his big brother. His parents and brother were killed by Peacekeepers. They showed the slightest bit of mercy towards Miles by sending him to the community home. For years, he spent his days at the orphanage and after he hit the age of seven, he decided it was time to give up hoping a family would adopt him. As soon as I got into the home, I gave up on finding a family that would take me in. I was a teenager and no family would want that riff-raff in their house.

I finish tying my purple tie and tug on my brown blazer. I ruffle Miles's hair as we tromp down the stairs. "Wash! Wash!" a small voice says. I pick up a little girl named Fleur. She grins at me, giving me a hug. "You're not going to the Games this year, are you?"

I laugh at her, lightly tapping her nose. A lot of the small kids like me, also seeing me as an older brother. "Of course not, Fleur. I can't miss your school play next week." I set her down, greeting some of the other children. Gloria and Ian, the twins, come up to me, smiling devilishly.

"Wash, who was that girl that was here yesterday?" Gloria asks, giggling.

"She was pretty," Ian says, nodding.

"She was just a friend," I say. We all walk outside, down to the District Square.

"What's her name?" Gloria says eagerly.

"Well, if you must know, Ms. Nosey, her name was Liliana," I say, holding her hand. They've both just turned twelve. Their names are in the lottery once, but they could still be Reaped. I pray that they won't. I don't know if I could stand to watch Fleur or Gloria or Ian and especially Miles go to the Games. They mean everything to me. They're the only thing I have left.

Gloria and Ian leave once we reach the square to go to the twelve year old section. Fleur, who is just six, joins some of the workers from the community home. "Promise me you won't get Reaped," Miles tells me.

"I'll do my best. You promise me that you'll learn to tie a tie." We laugh together and look around as the mayor and escort arrive. Miles stands by my side for a while until we separate. I stand by myself in the seventeen year old section. There aren't many older kids in the orphanage. I've got friends at work, but they're not close. They're just work friends. Nothing special.

The mayor steps up, speaking into the mic with a monotone voice. He sighs a lot and has a sad look on at all times. Maybe that's because several years ago, he had his own son go to the Games and he died. To be honest, I never ever thought that his son could have won. Really, no one here wins. We haven't had many victors, maybe two or three. We only have one victor alive. The other two died from old age.

Petunia Superbia glides across the stage, her high heels clicking on the ground. Her orange and purple hair that is tied into a large bow on her head, bounces up and down. She looks like a giant piece of candy with the orange and purple swirls all over her body. She giggles into the mic and talks about Panem.

She jumps up and town, clapping her hands together. She's more immature than the five year olds at the community home. "Girls first!" She sniggers and reaches for the bowl with scraps of paper with names on them. "Oooohhh, this is such a pretty name!" More laughing. "Clara Lignum!"

A girl in a red plaid shirt and black pants stands in the crowd with a shocked expression. Her long, dark, brown hair blows steadily in the wind. She's pretty tall and strong looking. She must be a worker in the lumber yard. I notice Miles gawking at the girl too. Maybe she'll have a chance. Well, have a chance at escaping the Bloodbath. Otherwise, she'll probably die. I know it's bad to have little to no district spirit, but I think I've got good reasons seeing as our tributes always die.

The girl named Clara slowly walks up to the stage. She sits down next to our last victor, Arbor Pianta, and shakes his hand. He has a small smile on his face. He's not as sad looking as most district victors, but that might be because he's a morphling addict. He said he's clean, but obviously, that's a lie.

"Let's do the boys now!" Petunia chortles, drawing at name from the boys' bowl. I cross my fingers, hoping it's not me or Ian or—"Miles Fratello!"

The name doesn't register in my mind at first…

"I volunteer!" I scream.

"NO!" Miles pushes to the front of the crowd as I make my way towards the steps.

"Stay back, Miles," I tell him, shoving him away. "I volunteer as tribute."

"No! Washington, don't!" Tears are streaming down Miles's face. "You're my brother. Don't go!" He tries to ram into me, in hopes of knocking me out of the way. It does nothing since I'm nearly a foot taller than him.

"Stop it now! I'm volunteering _for you_." He clings onto me, but his hold loosens as Peacekeepers tear him away from me. I stagger onto the stage and tell everyone my name. "Washington Hayner." The crowd claps timidly. I shake Clara's hand before plopping into the seat next to Arbor. She gazes at me with her big, brown eyes. She tries to smile, but it falters.

Petunia giggles even more, closing the ceremony. Minutes later, after most of the crowd has dissolved, Clara and I are whisked away to the Justice Building. In there, I'll have to see Miles. He'll tell me to win for him, and I'll tell him I promise to. In the end, even if I do win, I'll die inside. Best bet, I'll have to kill a kid or two. The fact that I live with a bunch of younger kids doesn't make it any easier. They're going to be watching me. They're going to watch me kill kids younger than me.

If I come back, will they see me as Wash or Washington Hayner, the monster of District Seven?


	8. Chapter 8

**Rilly Jarson – District 8**

Every year, my friend, Lyssa and I have a sleepover the day before the Reapings. We want to spend as much time as we can together in case one of us gets reaped. Usually, we will sit in my bedroom, just talking. We know we'll be tired the next morning, but it doesn't stop us.

"What do you think will happen if one of us gets reaped tomorrow?" Lyssa asks me. She would ask me that question every year for the last four years.

I reply the same thing every year. "Then the other will have to stay strong." I also tell her to look after my younger brother, Benson, should I go to the Games. He's only seven and he won't be able to survive without me. He depends on me. My parents are good people, taking care of the two of us. But, Benson looks up to me. He practically worships me and the ground I walk on.

We wake up the next morning. Lyssa goes into the bathroom as I search for a simple green dress to wear. Green is my favorite color, particularly light green. I slip on the dress and Lyssa comes back to the room to braid my hair to the side. It takes a while to comb my tangled blonde hair. I can't live without my long hair. My mother, who is far more beautiful than I, has the same hair. I want to say that I have something that my mother has. My brother looks a lot like my father.

"You're very pretty, Rilly," Lyssa says, combing her fingers through my hair. Truth be told, Lyssa is far more beautiful with her auburn hair, tan skin, and emerald eyes. Benson bounds into the room, jumping on my bed.

"Mom says it's time to come downstairs!" he says loudly. Lyssa and I laugh. She finishes tying off the braid and we head down to the kitchen. My mother is making breakfast for Lyssa and the rest of my family.

"I hope you two had a nice night," my mom says. We both nod and sit down.

My father reads a book as he sits with us. "Good morning, ladies and gentleman." He smiles at the two of us and sips his morning coffee.

Benson, as usual, bounces in his seat excitedly. We finish breakfast rather quickly. The Reaping will start in about an hour and we want to get there before the crowd comes in.

I hold Benson's hand and skip with Lyssa. We carry on casual conversation. "Pan is so cute!" Lyssa says. "I heard he's going to ask you out."

"That's a lie," I reply, laughing. "Why would he ask me out?"

"Cause you're gorgeous, baby," Lyssa says.

We reach the District Square. There aren't too many people at the moment, so we can mingle with other people. Pan stands in the seventeen year old section, surrounded by a bunch of girls. Of course. Benson runs away from me, heading to the twelve and under section. Soon, my parents will be here.

Lyssa and I stand in the sixteen year old section. "There's Pan. Here's his chance. He is totally going to ask you out!" she squeals excitedly.

"Shh! Shhh! Quiet down," I whisper. "Don't let him hear you?"

"Why not? It's true! He's totally going to ask you. I heard it from Tamara who heard it from Pansy who heard it from Gavin who heard it from Dante. He's totally going to ask you out!"

"You have told me that about a billion times now!" I laugh. Pan escapes his group of fangirls and saunters over towards me.

"Okay, now, shut up!" Lyssa says, wacking me in the arm.

"Ow!" I take my hand, slapping her back.

"Stop it!" She grins, pushing me playfully.

Pan stands in front of me, hands in his pockets. He flips his short hair to the side. Lyssa turns around so he doesn't focus on her. Of course, he would never ask her out since she has a reputation of liking girls. Most people hate her or are scared of her, but she's my best friend and I'll be with her until the end.

"Rilly," Pan says, flashing an attractive grin. "So, after that Reaping, I was wondering if you wanted to do something together."

Lyssa snickers and I step on her foot to stop her. "Really?" I reply, pretending to act surprised. "And what would be do _together?_"

"Anything you want to do," Pan says. I can't help but gawk at his features. He's like a genetically perfect god or something.

"Sure." I smile. Pan winks at me and walks away. Lyssa turns around slowly, then bursts out into laugher.

"What did I say?" she tells me.

"You were right."

"I'm sorry, what?" Lyssa says, smirking. "Who's right?"

"You were." I stick out my tongue and we hug. We mingle some more, conversing with other friends. Within twenty minutes, the District Square is filled. The Mayor steps to the front of the stage and gives the history of Panem speech. It's old news; just about everyone knows the history of our country.

Our escort, Tellia Denim, who is dressing in cotton candy pink and blue, scurries across the stage. She's probably the world's worst escort. She is basically bipolar and is a hot mess. She twirls around and speaks into the microphone.

"Welcome! Welcome! This year is the 35th Annual Hunger Games. It's time to choose one boy and girl," Tellia says in a nasally Capitol accent. There are two bowls to her right and she stands behind them. "Well, let's see who our lovely boy tribute is!"

In a second, she whips out a slip of paper. She holds it up, jumping up and down a couple of times. She makes her way back to the mic and tells us the tribute's name. "Corduroy Dowlas!" A boy emerges from the thirteen year old section. He seems to be a tad nervous. He passes me and goes up the stage stairs. Our District Victor, Vinny Remedus, lounges in his seat. He nods to Corduroy, but doesn't say anything.

"Now, for the lovely girl," Tellia continues.

Lyssa grips my hand tightly. Hopefully, we won't be picked. But, if one of us does, we know what we're supposed to do: be strong and look after each other's family.

"What a beautiful name!" Tellia shrieks. "_Rilly Jarson_!"

Everything slows down. My heart stops beating and suddenly, I can't breathe. I can't hear anything. Lyssa stares at me, horror in her eyes. My braid flies across my chest as I spin around. Tears drip down my face.

"Rilly!" The scream is heartbreaking and shrill. It sends chills down my spine. There's only one other person who could scream like that, besides Lyssa. Benson. "_No!_" Benson tears himself away from our mother.

"Benson! Stop!" my mother yells.

Benson runs after me as I'm heading for the stairs. He grabs my legs, not letting go. "Please! Stop! You can't go to the Games!" He seems like an innocent boy, but he knows all about the Games. He knows what happens to twenty three tributes every year. Most of the time, he despises the one tribute that wins every year, the one that usually belongs to the Career Districts.

"Stop, Benson," I say. I peel him from my side, then get on my knees. I stroke his hair, holding back tears. "Just stop. I'll see you in the Justice Building." I kiss his forehead and quickly bound up the stairs. Pan gawks at me visibly upset. Lyssa cries silently and tugs at her hair. I shake Corduroy's hand. He's got a smirk plastered across his face. Vinny shakes his head at him, but refuses to say anything.

"Congratulate our tributes! Corduroy Dowlas and Rilly Jarson!" The crowd claps a little bit, but nothing more. No cheers, nothing. The cameras are aimed towards us and the Peacekeepers start to clear the area.

I close my eyes and whisper to myself, over and over again.

"_Stay strong_."


	9. Chapter 9

**Dustin Proelia – District 9**

The things we do for love. The things we do in pity. The things we do for money. The things we do in hatred. The things we do to _survive._

All of this changes as soon as a tribute steps into the arena.

People become heroes or warriors. Others become an insatiable monster with a thirst for blood. In truth, we all become killers one way or another. We don't just kill others, we kill ourselves too. Even if one of this year's tributes does win, what's left for them? A mind full of guilt? A web of lies? A home and family that thinks they are a murderer? Or will they see themselves as a victor full of pride and surrounded by eternal glory?

Ebony, my girlfriend, strides over to me, her long hair flowing down past her shoulders, eyes twinkling in the golden sunlight. She laces her fingers through mine, linking our hands together. We're strolling through a field so yellow it's the color of butter. She gazes at me, pushing back her chocolate brown hair behind her ear. That smile of hers lights up the world even more as the golden hues spill onto the scenery.

We lay down, hand in hand, staring up at the sky. We point to the clouds, calling out what shape they look like. Ebony grins, curling up next to me as I hold her. "I wish we could stay like this forever," she whispers. She buries her head in my chest, breathing me in.

"Me, too," I reply softly. I stroke her hair, watching the clouds as they go dark and it begins to rain. Suddenly, Ebony is gone. My fingers are holding nothing but air.

"Dustin, it's time to get up," my mother says. I open my eyes, realizing it was just a dream. Ebony isn't with me and we aren't in a field where we could see the clouds. Mom shakes my shoulder gently and smiles. "I don't want you to be late. And you need to take your sister to her friend's house."

I nod, setting my feet on the ground. I run a hand through my shaggy, un-brushed hair. Light streams in through my window, warming up the room. Today's the Reaping, the worst day of the year. Today, two kids will be sent off to their death in a Game set up by the Capitol. One or both will die. The one that comes out will be the winner and not just that, a monster. No one really wins the Games. The scars still remain, it's impossible to get rid of. Some things can't be unseen, like killing other children. Even the Careers can't handle it. Some of the most brutal of tributes have killed themselves because they can't handle the guilt they hold in their black hearts.

My little sister, Amelina, skips in with her new dress on. "Dusty, will you tie my dress in the back?" She grins widely. It's kind of funny since she recently lost one of her front teeth and her adult one hasn't grown in yet.

"Sure thing," I tell her. She stands still for a few moments, enough to let me tie the back of her dress into a neat bow. After that, she's moving all about, jumping up and down. "Go have mom fix your hair, Amy." I'm the only one that calls her Amy and she's the only one that calls me Dusty. She nods, waving to me as she skips down the hall. She's only seven and I can't help but feel complete terror as she ages another year. For seven years she'll have to face the chance of being reaped.

Inside my closet, I pick a simple burgundy shirt and black pants. Downstairs, Amelina bounces in her seat as mom serves breakfast. A long time ago, a few weeks after Amelina was born, my father left. My father and I kept in touch with each other until he was killed by some gang banger who just wanted the paper and metal coins in his pockets. Too bad my father didn't have any.

"Did you sleep well, Dustin?" my mom asks, sitting down with us.

"Yeah. You?"

"Slept like a log." We laugh as we eat the wonderful breakfast my mom prepared.

After I clean up, I take Amelina to her friend's house. Before she goes with her friend, she stops me, pulling me down so I'm her height. "Promise you won't get picked," she says.

"You know I can't keep that promise," I tell her, truthfully.

"I know, just promise, Dusty," Amelina insists. She stares at me with her intense green eyes that she got from our dad. Sometimes I envy her because she looks like dad so much.

"I promise," I say. "As long as you promise you won't get reaped when you turn twelve. Promise me you won't get picked from the time you're twelve until you're eighteen. Then, when you turn nineteen, enjoy life." I hug her, then head off to the town square by myself.

My friend, Amicus, stands next to me silently. There's a large bruise across his face from where his father probably hit him. Usually, his father puts Amicus's name in the Reaping extra times with tesserae without his permission. I pray that Amicus's name won't be picked, especially since it's his last year. It's my last year too, so I hope I don't get picked. Plus, I promised Amelina I wouldn't be Reaped.

Two hands cover my eyes. "Guess who?" a soft voice says. It's almost melodic and sing song.

"I don't know…" I say, cracking a smile. "Is it my totally amazing girlfriend?" I turn around, seeing Ebony grinning at me. "I love you." Our lips meet in a tender kiss, then we break away. "Amicus, have you seen Lyra lately?"

"Nah, I broke up with her about a week ago. She was a bit clingy," he says with a shrug. "I'm seeing someone else. A girl named Novia."

"Congrats, man," I say, patting him on the back. I wrap my other arm around Ebony, holding her close. It's her last year too and we both know after the Reaping, we'll be free. We won't have to face going to the Games. After this year's Games are done with, I'm planning on proposing to Ebony. I've been saving up and by the end of this month, I'll have enough to buy her a ring.

Our escort comes up to the podium. Halo Laetus is a short woman that can just barely reach the microphone. It's humorous watching her try to look at the crowd over the stand. She finishes her speech about Panem rather quickly this year. "Let's see who the lucky girl tribute is this year!" She grabs a slip of paper with her small hand and reads the name. "Geminus Minx!"

I search for the girl and see her making her way to the stage. She's rather tall, about five foot eight or so. She looks strong and brave, but very young. She can't be older than fifteen. She could actually be about thirteen. She flips her hair confidently and puts herself in the chair farthest from our District Victor, Aspen Malem. Aspen is a very skinny woman that looks like she doesn't eat. Ever since her Hunger Games she seems to be eating less and less each day, like she's trying to starve herself.

"Time for the boys now!" Halo shouts. She reaches in for a name and calls it out a second later. Suddenly, Ebony's grip tightens around my arm and she's shaking. Her hair whips around her as she gives me wild and terrified eyes. That's when the name registers. "Dustin Proelia?" Halo repeats.

"No. No, no, no, no!" Ebony says, tears falling down her cheeks. She holds onto me as I move towards the stage. "No, please don't go. You can't. Dustin!" Her nails dig into my skin, drawing some blood. "NO!" Her scream rips through the air. I painfully remove her from my side, acting brave as I walk towards the stage. "Dustin!" she shrieks. Amicus is dragging her backwards. She reaches out to me, trying to volunteer, but Amicus has a strong grip around her and covers her mouth. He nods towards me, signaling that he'll take care of her for me.

Air whooshes into my lungs. I must've been holding my breath without realizing it. I shake Gem's hand, who smirks at me. I gulp. I can't let my fear show. I'll either come back a murderer or in a box. Hopefully, Ebony will still love me, especially if I become an animal in the arena.

One way or another, I'm going to have to decide what I do for love, hatred, and survival.


	10. Chapter 10

**Parrow Hosira – District 10**

People in the Capitol, District One, District 2, and District Four don't understand what abject poverty is. If you live in the lower districts, say Districts Ten through Twelve, you'd know what it's like to go hungry for days on end. Some days, the dead lay on the side of the street having starved or gone without clean water for days. My mother nearly died once because we ran out of food. She gave her share to my sister and me when she should have kept it herself. My father works hard, but he doesn't make much. Each year, my sister, Fleese, takes a lot tesserae each year to try and sustain us. It's her last year to be reaped and after that, she'll go to work almost immediately. I, on the other hand, will keep signing up for extra tesserae for the next four years.

I keep thinking that if I go to the Games, how will I die? I can survive longer without food than the Career Districts. I'm thin and just barely five foot four inches, so I could hide in the trees. No one will see me. I've learned how to camouflage myself with leaves and dirt, something my father taught me. If there aren't any trees, I'm sure I can think of something. My father has helped my hone my abilities so I can be as sharp as a knife if I go into the arena. With all the extra slips of paper with my name on it, there's a high possibility I'll be reaped. If not today, then next year. Especially since my sister won't be able to sign up for tesserae.

I've taken up hunting since I turned twelve. Since then, I've gotten better, although I'm still not the best at it. Weapons aren't my area of strength. I usually revert to traps and snares that quickly end a critter's life. I carry a knife with me at all times in the woods and I'm pretty decent with a bow and arrow. The Peacekeepers have never caught me, and they never will. I make sure to keep everything discreet.

My father knocks gently on my bedroom door. I jump, my musings dissolving into the air. I slap the book shut, so he won't see that I've been wasting my time. He smiles, stepping into the small room I share with my sister. "You're going to be late, Parrow," he says softly. He pulls the book from my hands as I clutch it to my chest.

Books and learning are a passion for me. I'm always reading something, always learning. My father has taught me how to survive and little tricks that I think will be useful in the future. My mother teaches me about staying positive, even if we're poorer than the dirt in District Thirteen. Even my sister teaches me; it's usually about boys, but I appreciate her attempt at teaching me to be ladylike.

"But I'm at a really good part! Please, let me read a little more," I cry. I reach for the book, but he holds it high above his head. Seeing how short I am, I doubt I inherited his height gene like my sister has. I jump onto my bed, and leap, in attempt to fetch my book.

"You're reading a book about the evolution of plants," my father says, reading the title on my book. "How interesting can it be?" He laughs lightly, handing the book back. "You have five minutes." He walks out, leaving the door open.

"Parrow! Parrow!" Fleese sprints into our room, almost slipping on some dirty clothes on the floor. She gains her balance and throws my book out of my hands. It lands on her bed with a soft thump.

"Hey," I say harshly, "I was reading that."

"I'm sorry, Parrow, but this is really important!" Fleese sends me a smile and I know it must be important. With a sigh, I nod, telling her to tell me the news. "Okay, since it's our last Reaping, Castor asked me a question. And you know what question it is?" Her grin gets wider. She flashes her hand out in front of me. There's a sparkle as a gem hits the light.

I lean forward, eyes open wide. "No! Are you serious? He asked you to—"

Fleese let out a little squeal. "Yes! He asked me to marry him and I said yes!" She hugs me tightly. "With Castor, we could have more money. He can get a job and I can get a job. There'll be twice as much income for us."

"But, won't you be living with him?" I ask her, picking up my ratty book. I set the bookmark in so it fits perfectly. Then, I straighten the creases in my light brown dress. I wiggle my toes in my too small shoes.

"Well, until we can afford a house, he'll be living here."

"Where? Our house is crowded enough as it is," I remark.

"We'll figure something out. I just have to not be reaped and then I'll be Mrs. Vir! I want you to be a bridesmaid."

"Wait, what?"

"Yes! I'm also going to ask my friends, Nadie and Jaime, but I also want you to be up there with me. You're my sister! You have to be there, so don't you dare get reaped. And if you do, you better come back alive and not missing arms, legs, fingers, or toes." Fleese grins at me and takes me hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Have you told mom and dad?"

"Not yet. I wanted you to be the first to know." She walks down the hallway with me. We can't afford a two story house, so we live in a small one story shack. "Come on, it's time for the Reapings."

My father almost runs into us as we make it towards the door. "Ah, Parrow, I was about to come and get you. Enjoying the science of plants aren't you?" He winks at me. "And congrats, Fleese." He nods to her ring and goes back to his room to be with mom.

Fleese beams at my father and skips with me. "I can't believe he noticed!" She grabs my arm, jumping up and down excitedly. My cousin, Khessi, meanders to us as we exit our home. She combs through her tangled auburn hair. It's damp, making the shoulders on her lavender dress wet.

"What did who notice?" Khessi asks, tying her hair up into a bun.

"Nothing," Fleese says, trying to contain herself. "Except that Castor proposed!"

Khessi smiles politely. "I'm so happy for you, Fleese." Yreina and Soris join us halfway to the District Square.

Fleese spots her now fiancée. "I'll see you soon, Parrow!" She kisses my forehead. "Don't get reaped. After this, we can start looking for wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses and even pick out a date." She sprints over to Castor, a burly young man that is very attractive. I don't know how she can run in the worn out shoes she has.

"I think your sister is excited," Yreina says sarcastically.

"Yeah," Soris says, "What's up with that?"

"Her boyfriend proposed this morning," I say to Soris, who is standing next to me. He smiles to me, a hint of mischievousness in his eye.

"What do you think will happen when we get married?" Soris asks. He looks at me the entire time, not even glancing at Yreina and Khessi.

"I think we'll still be friends," Khessi says. "We'll all have kids of our own!"

"But what about the Games?" Yreina points out.

"Then we'll pray they won't get picked."

Yreina and Soris break off, heading to the thirteen year old section. Khessi and I move for the fourteen year old section. "I think Soris likes you," Khessi whispers.

"I don't think so," I reply. He wouldn't, couldn't like me. Why would he like me? It doesn't matter because we're never going to be anything but friends. Being something more could jeopardize that and I don't want to ruin our relationship.

"Okay," Khessi shrugs. "Suit yourself!" We stand in the middle of a crowd, waiting for our escort to bounce across the stage. The mayor finishes his speech and then Lana Vacca, in her pink high heels and extravagant hair do, bounds across the stage as she does every year.

"Good day, District Ten!" She shouts into the microphone. Her voice could wake a sleeping cow it's so loud and annoying. "I do believe it's that time of the year again. It's time to select one boy and one girl as tributes for this year's annual Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor." She winks at the crowd, then glances at the camera. Her hand swims through a list of names. She pulls out the girl's name first.

_Don't be me. Don't be me. Don't be me. Don't be me._

"Fleese Hosira!"

I open my eyes, realizing the name that's been called. My heart stops and my stomach suddenly drops. My forehead is covered in cold sweat. She should have been safe. Even though her name's in there more times, she's never been picked. I have to do something. What can I do? I'm just fourteen! All I'm ever going to do is keep getting more tesserae and read. I'll end up being picked sooner or later. Fleese was just picked and she's eighteen. At least by sixteen I'll be reaped since I'll be taking even more tesserae for my now growing family.

"I VOLUNTEER!" I shriek. Fleese is safe now. The crowd gasps and Khessi immediately has tears cascading down her face. As I climb the stairs, I look at Fleese. She has her head buried in Castor's shoulder. I slowly come to stop in front of our District Victor, Mabilis Redimo. She's a middle aged woman, but she looks much older than that. She won her Games when she was fifteen.

"Very well!" Before I realize it, Lana has picked the boy tribute's name. "Let's see, let's see. Trenton Cedar!" She giggles, beckoning the boy to come up. I stand on my toes to see who it is. A boy with short brown hair limps to the stage. _Limps!_ The brutality of the Games hits me and the Games haven't even started yet. How cruel is it to send a crippled boy into an arena to fight to the death? Why does the Capitol do this? They don't know what the meaning of ethics is.

Trenton finally makes it to the top of the stairs. He leans heavily on his left, so I figure he must've had an accident, permanently injuring his right leg, or he was just born that way. He smiles nervously at me, but I see through his façade. There are streak marks across his face from where he tried to wipe away the tears. I might be crying too because I feel a faint wetness on my cheeks. Lana closes the Reaping ceremony and I'm still looking at Trenton. I understand how he feels. He understands how I feel.

The Capitol will never know how I feel.


	11. Chapter 11

**Bailey Fera – District 11**

Sometimes, I think about all the possibilities in the world, and to be honest, there are just too many possibilities. Scientists said that with every decision we make, there is an alternative reality that is created. There's a time in everyone's life when they reflect on their choices. For me, it's mostly regretting choices I've made. Although, I wonder what my life would be like if I hadn't made a certain decision.

"Bailey! Pick up the pace!" my brother, Deuce, snaps at me.

"Come on, slow poke," Micah says, shoving me forward. He and Bond heave bags of cotton over their shoulders. Soon, we'll be sending the cotton to District Eight in exchange for a low price. District Eleven deserves more than what we get. We work our, excuse my language, asses off and in return, we receive meager payments and rewards. As soon as I turn eighteen, and my last Reaping is done with, I'm going to leave. It's not that I don't love my family, but I have bigger plans. I want to do something really useful, like be a doctor or scientist.

"Oi!" Bond shouts. "Quit reminiscing, Bailey, and get to work!"

"You don't even know the meaning of reminisce!" I yell back at him. Deuce, Micah, and Bond are much larger than I am and obviously have more muscle. They will end up doing more work anyway. I'm weak and skinny Bailey Fera with very few uses besides picking cotton. And trust me, cotton picking is not that easy. Sure, it's easy to just _pick_ the cotton, but to get out the seeds is pure hell. My gloves that are about four years old now are getting torn up by the sharp, pointy seeds. Why they don't have a machine to remove the seeds is beyond me.

I stuff some more cotton into my sack and carry it to the main building. It takes me a while to catch up with my older brothers. The only person in my family that doesn't work is Aimee, who's three. People like her more than they do me. The people that seem to like me are Thorn and Benn, the town pranksters that often drag me into their evil schemes. I'm shocked they haven't been caught more than three times. The first time, they had a warning, but the second time they were whipped five times in front of everyone. I had escaped that fate when my brothers backed me up and said I was at the fields the entire time. Although that was a lie.

"Bailey! Come on!" my father sneers at me. He roughly pushes me forward. Unlike my brothers, he is harsh and has a bad temper. He loves me, I think; he just wants me to be someone completely different. He wants me to be like Deuce, the tough one in the family that can lift something three times his weight, or like Bond who has a knack for repairing things, or even like Micah who probably has an affinity for something useful. "Hurry up. Get to the house, eat something, then get to the District Square."

I don't nod; I immediately go to the back of the building and put all of the cotton I'd picked onto a scale. My father isn't much of a dad. I don't really acknowledge him when he's around. He's my biological father, but he won't be a dad to me. I measure how much I've collected, record it, and set it neatly in the cargo. My brothers have collected much more than I have. The four of us run to the house, greeting Mom on the way in.

"Hold on, boys," she says softly. She smiles at us, setting down plates with a little bit of food. "Breakfast. Come on." She beckons us to sit down.

"Mom, we have to get ready for the Reapings." Micah reminds her.

"I know that," Mom says with a soft sigh. "But eat. You all got up early this morning and need something to eat." She hates the fact that she has four children eligible to go to the Games, and all of us sign up for tesserae. Deuce is eighteen, meaning this is his last year. Micah is seventeen, so he has another year. Bond is sixteen, and after Micah's last year, he's going to have to step up and collect more tesserae along with me. I'm fifteen and I'll be taking a lot of tesserae after Bond's last year. Aimee is lucky since she doesn't know anything about the Games yet.

"Okay," Bond says, throwing himself in a seat. My brothers eat quickly, but I take my time. They all sprint up the stairs as I sit with mom.

"How is it in the fields?" she asks me, messing with my hair. I'm a forever bed head, so it's impossible to make my hair look even decent. Once, my mom used chicken fat because she was so desperate to get my hair to stay down. My hair was worse flat than standing up all over the place.

"It's fine, I suppose," I say. "Dad's been kind of antsy since it's the end of cotton picking season."

"Well, don't let him get you down, sweetheart," Mom tells me. She smiles, standing up to clean the table. "You should get ready for the Reapings. I don't want you to be late. And I don't want you to run into that Shark boy either." She ties her hair back and begins cleaning, something she does every day.

After finishing my sorry excuse for breakfast, which was a bowl of some sort of porridge, I head upstairs. My mom tries, I know she does, and my whole family works hard, but we just can't seem to get the income to give us decent meals every day. Usually, we'll go with one or two small meals a day. At least we get water each day, although there's no telling if it's always clean or not.

"Ready to go, little brother?" Deuce asks. He ruffles my raven black hair and ties his tie. I finish buttoning my shirt and tuck it into my too big pants. Hand me downs are the worst, especially when they don't fit.

"We better get going," Micah says, poking his head in the room. Bond is downstairs already, playing with Aimee and telling her goodbye for now. Actually, we say "see you later" because goodbyes are too painful for my mother, who had her sister go to the Games when she was younger. Mom's never told me the full story, but I think I get the idea.

Outside, I'm greeted by my best mates, Thorn and Benn. By the stupid grins on their faces, I suspect they pulled off another brilliant prank. "So, whatever you do, don't go to the flower store for a few days," Thorn says, stifling a laugh.

I raise an eyebrow curiously. "Why not?"

Benn bits his lip. "You'll see soon enough, young grasshopper!" He bursts out into laughter. They usually leave me out of the loop, something that gets on my nerves, but not enough to make me explode at them. "What kind of outfit is Colatia Pannus going to wear this year? We should take bets to see who's closest to what she's going to wear!"

"It's going to be something ostentatious like every year. That's the Capitol. A bunch of grandiose, colorful pigs." I crack a smile, chuckling at what I'd just said.

"Grandiose?" Thorn obviously doesn't know what the word means.

"Ostentatious?" And Benn doesn't know what that word is either.

"Eh, forget about it." Most of the time, people don't really know the words I use. In my free time, I look up words, just for fun. It's interesting to see all the words people don't use anymore.

We arrive in the District Square just in time. There's about five minutes before the Reaping start. All of the crowd isn't there yet, but Shark is, a large eighteen year old boy that loathes my guts. He stands proudly and strides over to me.

"Oi! Shark! Get your fat arse out of here," Thorn growls at Shark.

"Yeah, go run to be with your little—" Benn begins to say.

"Get out of my way." Shark pushes him aside and stands in front of me. "Just because you've got your little posse here doesn't mean I'm not coming after you." He glares at me and walks away. I let out a breath I'd been holding. What a relief. He wasn't going to beat me up today.

"Whew!" Benn says, wiping a hand across his forehead. "That was close."

"You're so lucky to have us, mate," Thorn says, hanging a long arm across my narrow shoulders.

I smile at them, definitely thankful that I met them. Colatia Pannus, our rambunctious escort, shuffles across the stage. She's wearing a multitude of shades of orange, red, and yellow. Her shoes are almost blinding they're so bright. And how can she possibly walk in five inch heels with that ridiculous hair do? And why is she wearing a mini version of our sun hats? Is she trying to mock us?

Our District Victor, Fibro Algodon, is the complete opposite and sighs all the time. He messes with his hair. He could care less about the whole ordeal. I can see why too. Most of our tributes die early on in the Games. We haven't had a victor in a while; therefore we have a pretty old mentor.

Colatia squeals, greeting the whole District. "Salutations, District Eleven. Goodness, goodness, goodness," she says with her Capitol accent. "What a day! Can you believe the 35th Hunger Games are _just _around the corner?" She wiggles her fingers in the air for dramatic effect. "Let's see who our lady tribute is." She picks up a slip of paper and reads the name. "Maize Koranon!" She throws the paper in the air, clapping her hands.

A dark skinned girl with chocolate brown hair emerges from the crowd of sixteen year olds. I've seen her around and heard stories about her. I met her once when I ran into her. She is a nice girl and definitely doesn't deserve to go to the Games. What's really surprising is that she has eighteen cousins and has eight siblings. Even though she has a huge family and has to help take care of it in deep poverty, she keeps on an optimistic attitude.

"Bailey Fera!"

"_Psst! Get up there!"_

"_Come on, dummy!"_

"_Are you freaking deaf?"_

"_Hurry before the Peacekeepers come over."_

I don't know why these guys behind me keep whispering at me. Suddenly, two hands seize my arms and start dragging me to the stage. Deuce's gaze is trained on me. Micah's expression lacks emotion. Bond has his arms wrapped around his girlfriend. He refuses to look at me. Did I do something wrong?

"Wait. Wait, stop!" I cry out. Then, it hits me. I've been Reaped. The Peacekeeper tosses me onto the stage, not even caring when I fall onto the ground. Maize promptly rises from her seat and helps me up. My eyes meet the crowd's gaze. Shark is there, smirking. I'll show him though. I'll win the Games and show him. He won't be able to pick on me anymore.

"You'll be okay," Maize whispers as she shakes my hand. She smiles sweetly at me as Colatia continues blabbing to the district. It's impossible for her to shut her mouth. Even during the worst of times.

"I hope so," I reply.

If there is such thing as an alternate reality, am I a tribute? If I'm not, I wish I could travel to that reality right now. Now, I'm regretting things more than ever. Why didn't I do it when I had the chance?


	12. Chapter 12

**Larkspur Fisole – District 12**

I love my family. I really do. But sometimes I wish they were…different. Less self-absorbed. We live in the better part of the Seam. It's been hard for us for the last few years, but compared to some people, we have it pretty good. I feel like my mother worries more about herself than some of the other people that are poorer. My father works too much in the mines. Sometimes, I think he leaves work after his shift and goes to be with his buddies. At least, that's what my best friend, Halle says.

I sit in the nice, grassy area behind our house. Two bunnies slipped past the fence and into our small yard. I've taken care of them for a while: feeding them, making sure they don't get hurt, giving them love. They've really grown on me. Their names are Primrose and Sully. After I check on Primrose and Sully, I head inside to prepare for the Reaping.

My sister, Avi, stands in front of our cracked mirror, repeatedly fixing her outfit and hair. She's eighteen, so it's her last year to be eligible to be Reaped. She signed up for extra tesserae this year since my father isn't bringing in as much income. "Does this dress make me look fat, Lark?" she asks me, turning so she could look at her dress in a profile view. "It does, doesn't it?" She gazes at me with hard emerald eyes. "Fine. Don't talk to me."

"You didn't give me enough time to respond, Avi," I tell her, skipping to my closet on the other side of the room.

"Ah, yes, sorry, Larkie," she replies. She picks all sorts of condescending names to call me. Avi still sees me as the little six year old that always followed her around. I still follow her around, but not like a lost puppy. "How does it look?"

"Fantastic, as always," I compliment. My sister is quite beautiful with her bone structure and stunning eyes. Sometimes, I imagine her with Artu Regelo during her interview spinning in a beautiful dress that her stylist has created for her. The only reason I don't continue with that fantasy is because it would end in her going to the Games. My sister is strong and tall and stands a chance if she were Reaped, but I don't want her to ever go to the Games. I want her to be with me forever, even though she annoys me at times.

"Thanks, kiddo," Avi says, ruffling my hair. "What are you wearing? What about that little pink dress with that bow on it?" I open my mouth to say something, but she's already in my closet, pulling out the dress. It's in the back, so it takes her a moment to get it out. I purposely placed that dress in the back because it's embarrassing and ridiculous looking. It's something for a three year old, not a twelve year old.

Avi rips off my shirt and pants, throwing the dress over my head. She takes her brush, trying to get the knots out. She yanks and I bite my lip. "I'm going to make you all pretty, Larkie," Avi says over and over. She tightly ties the back of the dress and zips it up. She shoves me in front of the mirror, forcing me to stare at myself in the ugliest dress ever.

First of all, it's bright pink with lots of lace. Then, there's this massive bow in the middle of the waist that takes away from the rest of the dress. It's got puffy short sleeves that don't work well at all. Avi ties the whole ugly outfit together when she sticks a huge bow in my hair that clashes with my horrendous outfit.

"There. You look so much prettier, now." Avi pinches my cheeks, grinning. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around, baby sister." She loves me, I know she does, but sometimes she is condescending, and I hate it. But, she's my sister so I have to love her.

Avi puts her hand in mine as we begin our short walk to the town square. Many others are filing into their designated sections. The mayor begins his speech shortly after everyone's in their places. Our escort, Nessie Locket, bounds across the stage cheerfully. She breezes through the openings and quickly gets to the reaping part. Her hand dives into the bowl eagerly and pulls out a name.

"Larkspur Fisole!"

_No. No. This can't be happening. _My name's been in there once. I'm twelve. This…there must be something wrong. It has to be rigged.

My whole body is trembling as I walk towards the stage. I keep glancing back at my sister in the eighteen year old section. She could save me. She could volunteer. She could give me another year to live. _Come on, Avi._ I keep staring at her hopefully, tears welling up in my eyes. She stares back with a stony expression. She has no intent on volunteering.

I stand on the stage near our current victor, a man in his thirties maybe fourties. He glances at me, appearing to be curious. Nessie digs through the bowl, drawing a boy's name out. "Ector Cabot!" she yells joyfully.

A young boy emerges from the fifteen year old section. His eyes are a strange shade of gray. They're intense and give off a strange vibe. His charcoal colored hair sweeps across his forehead. I remember him. There are rumors about him too. Parentless. Schizophrenic. Trouble maker. A couple of times he's crossed the gate, traveling into the woods. He wouldn't make it far. Once, he was whipped as a punishment, something that rarely happens here in Twelve.

"I give you our tributes of District Twelve! Larkspur Fisole and Ector Cabot!" Nessie beams.

Ector stands next to me on the stage. We shake hands and I can't help but notice his strong grip. He could easily kill me. Torture me. He scares me. Terrifies me. His crazy gray eyes, midnight black hair, and the scars on his hands. He smiles at me. His smile frightens me too. It's too nice, too perfect. His teeth are surprisingly straight and white, completely contradicting the rest of his appearance. Could he be our next victor? I don't know what to think. He seems a bit mentally unstable. The moment he steps into the arena, it looks like something in him might snap.

If I don't make it, I don't know if I'd want the victor to be him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sapphire Princeps – District 1**

The chair in the Justice Building is very comfy. The decorations and furnishings are pleasant. The walls are a calming color. The Peacekeepers outside of my room make me feel safe. The windows to the outdoors give me a pleasant feeling as sunshine seeps through the curtains.

Truth is, they're merely illusions. The feeling in my heart right now is pain and confusion. It's hard to explain but all I know is that my heart is rattling around in my ribcage. Sorren is in the other room, waiting for visitors. I haven't been able to talk to him since the Reapings. I want to ask him, no, demand, why he volunteered. Of course the entire District One loves him because he volunteered and the Capitol is going to love the brother against sister thing.

It's just a game. It's just a game. I keep telling myself that, fists clenched, but it's not just a game. Only one of us is going to come out. I never wanted to be in the Hunger Games, even when my mother has tried pushing me into volunteering. Sorren made a mistake by volunteering. If he isn't dead by the final three, I might have to take extraordinary measures so I can take the victory.

Winning means fame and fortune, and genuine love from my mother. Mom has always loved me, but I've sensed that it wasn't real all the time. She's forced me to train ever since I could walk. When I did something wrong, she'd punish me with training and exercising. I'd do squats or stand on one foot for an hour or two. I'd do push-ups and pull ups. I have to admit though; her punishments have made me a stronger person.

A loud clunking noise reaches my ears and I tear my gaze from the wooden floors. My mother's four inch red heels click on the floor as she strides over to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Oh, Sapphire," she says, "your mumsy is so proud of you!" My mom's great and all, but she often times talks down to me in a condescending tone. She still sees me as a little girl with an exception of being able to use a spear and sword. Little girls don't use spears and swords. Little girls play with dolls and worry about their hair. Normal girls worry about boys and zits. I'm not a normal girl.

"Well, I guess you can't come to the club with me now, can you, sweetheart?" Mom pinches my cheeks, grinning. "This is such a big day! I have two children in the Hunger Games! At the same time!"

I'm not sure if she realizes that only one of us is coming back. She probably hopes it's me. She never really liked my brother, always seeing him as a disappointment and always wishing he was someone else, preferably a girl.

"I'm going to say goodbye to Sorren now. I'll see you soon, Sapphire," Mom says. "I love you, sweetie!" She laughs, flipping her hair before she gives me a final hug and peck on the forehead. "Come back soon. I don't want you having too much fun in the Capitol." And just like that. Gone.

I don't expect anyone else to come, especially not Dandef. After his little stunt in the District Square, I don't want to see his face again. My brother was right, but I wouldn't listen to him. I saw Dandef as a key to a higher social status. I wasted my time and I know now that I won't make a fool out of myself again.

Surprisingly, Skylar comes in, blond hair shimmering in the light and lime green eyes gleaming. I realize that I hadn't listened to Sorren about a lot of things. On several occasions he told me Sky likes me, and obviously, I didn't listen. I didn't want him to be more than a friend. The thought of the possibility of dying scares me and I don't want to die without him knowing. One kiss won't hurt. Just one kiss. Just one.

"Come home to me," Skylar says softly, our foreheads touching. Within seconds, my fingers are holding onto nothing. He's gone, just like my mother.

Hannah, my best friend, bounds into the room, embracing me in a friendly manner. "Sapphire! Please come back soon." She presses something into my hand. A bracelet with several jewels.

"But it's your good luck charm," I tell her. "I can't take this." I hand it back to her, but she shakes her head and wraps it around my wrist.

"And now it's your good luck charm," Hannah tells me. She lightly touches the emerald, ruby, and sapphire jewels, all of which are rare. "Protect this and make sure thieves don't steal it. It's really expensive."

I grin, "Thanks." We hug once more.

"Please come back," she whispers.

"I will," I say. "I'll do whatever it takes. I promise." Even if it means killing my own brother.

**Pietta Carmelle – District 3**

They say there are six million ways to die. If that's true, it should actually be six million and one. That one being the Hunger Games.

The Justice Building is plain and simple. I'm not too focused on how it looks though because I'm not going to be in here for long. My friends and family will come say goodbye to me and be all sad. I understand I'm going to the Games, but I don't quite understand why they're going to have to be all melodramatic. I'm going to come back. I hope so.

Maxwell is in the room next door. He seems like an alright kid, but he laughs awkwardly. He's trying how hide how scared he is. Even I can see through his façade and I am terrible at reading emotions. I heard two people in his room and no one else. Neither of his visitors sounded like a grown woman. One was a young boy and the other was a girl.

The Peacekeeper at the door watches me as I sit on the couch. No one's come in yet. Does that mean I'm going to leave without a simple goodbye?

"Piet?" My mother stands in the doorway with my father's arm wrapped around her. His expression is terse whereas my mother's is fighting tears. She smiles, although it quivers. She pulls herself away and kneels down in front of my short frame. "You come back, you hear me? I love you, sweetheart, and so does your father," she says. I glance to my father who simple nods. He's never loved me, and to be frank, neither has my mother, but I know my mother tries.

I nod to my mother, unable to form words. Words are hard for me. I want to say them and they'll be stuck in my head. But when it comes to spitting them out, I can't do it. I remember in school I'd be told to recite something or speak up in front of class. My mind would freeze and either I'd babble about nothing or say nothing at all.

Math is the subject I prefer. It's logical. It always has an answer. The answer can always be found. I live and breathe math, period. In my free time, I estimate the angles of corners in a room or think about quadratic equations. I'd consider the types of exponential growths and decays and logarithms. Math helped me through my entire life and it continues to help me.

My mother hugs me, even when I don't say a thing. She departs with my father, passing the Peacekeeper quickly. For the next few minutes, no one comes. I don't have any friends so I don't feel alone or betrayed. Friends are confusing. They might be nice one day then backstabbers the next. Sometimes, they'll distract you so much you won't realize they're holding a knife. I've tried having friends, but that hasn't worked out. I don't need them though. Math is my friend.

The Peacekeeper leads me out of the room and I meet up with Maxwell. He sniffles and wipes his nose. It's no surprise he was crying. He still gives me odd looks, which is funny because he has to look down at me and his expression is always quizzical. It's like he's studying me, trying to see how much of a chance I stand in the Games. I wonder how much of a chance would _he _stand in the Games.

My bet is not very long. He's scrawny with no muscle. All brains and no brawn. I suppose though that I don't really have a chance either. I've never fought, never trained, never been hungry. I'm just…me. There's nothing special to me. I'm not a beautiful tribute from District One, or a strong tribute from Two, or the athletic kind from Four. I'm stuck with a nerd of a partner.

Chrysanta Diamanto and Devon Reperio join us at the train station. Chrysanta has a different outfit on. Now she has a puffy yellow dress on with tall stilettos. I stick my tongue out in disgust. Yellow is the worst cover there is. She's made it ten times worse by wearing a matching bow.

"Come aboard, kiddies!" Chrysanta squeals, jumping on the train.

Devon waits till we reach the train before she gets on. I pass Chrysanta and am sure not to touch her. I trip a little, and Devon grabs my arm. I jerk away, running to the back of the train. When I glance back, he and Maxwell give me strange looks. Chrysanta, on the other hand, doesn't notice a single thing.

I'm not sure how I'll be able to survive the Games if I can't even handle being on a train with a giant lemon for an escort, an insomniac for a mentor, and a wimpy district partner.

**Kage Hatenn – District 5**

Nayeli is annoying as hell. She never says anything and has a look of disgust across her face. I'm right here; she doesn't need to look so bored. I'm the most interesting thing here. I try to take a different approach and put on the charming gentleman persona. I open the door and allow her to go first. She walks in without saying anything and bumps into me. A Peacekeeper leads her to one room. That little witch is certainly getting on my nerves. I think I know who's going to die first.

Roughs hands shove me into a room away from Nayeli's. That's a disappointment because I want to barge in and teach her a lesson. Actually, that's not a bad idea. When her parents are visiting her, I'll pay Nayeli a little visit. She won't mind. Well, I won't mind, that's for sure.

I lounge across the massive couch near the wall. The cushions are soft and I sink right in them. Humming a tune and tapping my foot to the beat takes my mind away from reality. The thought of being in a world full of hot girls where I could never get into trouble is incredibly fascinating. Nayeli could totally be a hottie if she changed her attitude. She's way too stuck up to be beautiful, much less pretty.

I wish my district partner was someone different. Maybe someone like Trista Rolans. She's blonde, blue eyed, and has a cute button nose. The only problem is she's nineteen now and too old for the Reapings. Last year she was a total knockout. Olive green dress in high heels. A lot of boys fell head over heels for her, including me. Too bad none of us stood a chance. Most of us men still don't stand a chance. Rumor has it she's got a new boyfriend. Doesn't matter anyways because once I win the Games, I'll have every girl falling to their knees.

"Hello, mate," a voice says. I frown as the words interrupt my musings. I recognize the voice very clearly. Lore, one of my best friends, saunters through the doors with my other pal, Wenn. They grin, patting me on the back. "So, you gonna win?"

"Of course. I'll see you two in a couple of weeks," I tell them confidently.

"You better," Wenn says. "Then, when you move into a Victor's home, we can throw tons of parties. Do you know how many girls would come? You'll be famous!"

"Oh, yeah," Lore agrees. "And we'll be your famous best friends!"

"Don't count on it!" I say. My friends send me funny looks and I laugh. "Kidding!" After a moment, they're laughing too. "So, my district partner is a total byotch."

"Dude, but is she hot?" Wenn questions, waggling his eyebrows.

"I guess so, but she's a bitch. I held the door open for her and she didn't even acknowledge me," I say.

"You know what that means? You gotta kill her in the Bloodbath. You do that and I'm sure you'll get tons of sponsors." The Peacekeeper comes in to take my friends away. With one last hug, we all say farewell.

My parents come in next. They look…relieved. My mother hugs me, crying a little, although I bet those tears are of happiness and not sadness. It doesn't matter anyways. When I win, they definitely won't be allowed in the house. "I hope you come back," Mom says, sobbing into my shoulder.

"Yeah, you're getting tears on my shirt, Mom," I say. I peel her off my shoulder and walk up to my dad. "Have a nice life, old man." I shake his hand almost sardonically.

Dad gives me a stern look. "Good luck, son," he says in a deep voice. "Do your best. We have faith in you."

"I'm sure you do." I salute to them as they turn to leave. No more visitors come. Kind of disappointing because I know I deserve more visitors than I received. Where are the girls? The other guys? Where is everyone? Shouldn't I have more adoring fans? In the Capitol, I'll woo every girl there. I'll even attempt to sweep Nayeli off her feet whether she likes it or not.

The Peacekeeper drags me out the room. Nayeli meets me in the main hallway, her face set in stone. I'd completely forgotten about barging in on her visitations. I'll find another way to screw with her head.

"So, how were your goodbyes?" I ask.

"Shut up, byotch," she snaps.

I think I've already got a few ideas on how to screw with her before I kill her in the Bloodbath.

**Clara Lignum – District 7**

It's scary to think that my life will possibly end in a few days. I'm only fifteen; I've barely lived. There's so much I want to do. I want to open an animal shelter, help children learn about the meaning of life, even get a job in the Capitol to unite Panem. Okay, so the last one is a little far-fetched, but I still want Panem to be one country again. I think a lot of people would agree with me there.

I skip beside Washington, who's walking one step every time I skip three times. He's big and tall. There's no doubt that he stands a chance. He works with chopping down trees. He has muscles. If they have axes in the arena, he could certainly be deadly.

I stand a chance too. I've worked all my life, climbing trees and chopping one of two down. If I move quickly, maybe I can avoid all the Careers and wait until they kill everyone including each other.

"Who will visit you, Washington?" I ask.

"Call me Wash," he says bluntly. His hands are shoved in his pockets and he's staring at the ground, examining all the cracks.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Clara."

"So I've heard," he says, smiling halfway. "My brother is going to visit me. Maybe a few kids from the community home."

"Oh, yeah, aren't you an…err…"

"Orphan. You can say it. It won't hurt me." He chuckles, sending me a nice smile. His eyes are absolutely gorgeous. Stop that, you can't think about that though. He's your enemy. Don't get attached.

"Yes, you're an orphan. I lost my mom when I was younger," I say softly. "I feel what you're feeling."

"That's nice to know."

We enter the Justice Building and go into our separate rooms. Mark and Tabitha will be two of my friends who I know will visit me. My father will come too. I wish my mom could be here, but I know she's watching over me from wherever she is. I clutch the necklace she once owned. A locket with a picture of her and my father. I'm going to keep it as my token. There's not a day that goes by that I don't wear it.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," a male voice says.

I grin, hugging Mark. Tabitha laughs, joining in our hug. "Good luck, Clara. You've gotta win," she says.

"I'll win for you both," I say. We all collapse on the couch. "If I don't win—"

"Hey, you don't need to say that," Mark interrupts.

"Yes, I do. If I don't win, I really, really, really want to know you both will get married as soon as you can."

Tabitha glances at Mark, then they both turn away, blushing. I always knew there was something going on with them. Mark chuckles nervously and runs a hand through his dark hair. He gazes at Tabitha with his piercing blue eyes. Tabitha pushes her blonde hair behind her ear, green eyes shining.

"Oh for goodness sake! Kiss already!" I command. I jump up to give them room.

"Not in front of you!" They both say.

"Oh please! You know, this could be the last time I ever see you. Won't you feel guilty that you didn't do what I said and I died? How awful would that be?" I laugh lightly and they kiss timidly.

"There, happy?" Tabitha says.

"Extremely. I love you guys and I promise to come back home." I hug them again as my father enters the room. "See you both soon. Remember, marriage. Also remember abstinence until you get married."

"Bye, Clara." Both of them hold hands, exiting the building.

I rush over towards my father, pulling him into a big bear hug. "Daddy!" I feel like a small child again.

"You're getting so big, girlie," my father says, laughing. I'm going to miss his laugh. He kisses my forehead. "I know for sure that you're going to win this year."

"I hope so. That's the plan!" I grin, holding onto my dad.

"When you get home, I'm going to make you your favorite meal and we'll move into a Victor's home immediately. We'll put your mother's things up and it'll be like we've always lived there. I'm sure Mark and Tabitha will be proud of you too."

"Thanks, Dad."

"I love you, sweetheart," he says, embracing me. Suddenly, I'm holding nothing but air. He's gone.

"Bye, Daddy," I whisper. Then I realize, I'm alone. I've never noticed how much I hate being alone. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to die alone. I don't want to do anything alone. But I'll have to be alone in order to win.


	14. Chapter 14

**Gem Minx – District 9**

Dustin Proelia is a lovesick puppy. I am an alpha dog. That's going to be a big different in the arena. While he moans about being away from his girlfriend, I'm going to take the victory right from under his nose. He won't even see it coming. I'm sure everyone won't see me coming.

Dustin's unprepared. He won't survive. I'm fast. I can fight. I know how to throw things with accuracy. I'm going to be District Nine's next victor and there's no stopping it. I glance at Dustin, smirking, as Aspen goes off about stuff I really don't care about. I tuck some hair behind my ear, staring at Aspen, not listening.

"Okay, so," I say, "Miss District Nine Victor, ma'am, what's the importance of this speech?" I raise my eyebrows at her. Halo sits in a chair across from me, filing her nails. She enjoys watching us talk. She watches us like we're cable TV.

Aspen sighs heavily. "Just call me Aspen, Geminus."

"Great! Call me Gem. I can see we're getting along great!"

"Cut it out, Gem," Dustin says to me.

I narrow my eyes at him. No one just tells me to stop. "Excuse me, Mr. I'm-so-sad-and-lonely." I make a face, pretending to be all sad and emotional. Oh the angst. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that.

He stands up and I can finally see how big he really is. He's definitely over six feet tall and has big muscles. I try not to show any emotion as he glares at me. Besides his devilishly good looks, he doesn't seem too bright and won't get many sponsors. "Excuse me, Miss I'm-being-a-total-bitch, but you need to drop the attitude."

"Says who? You're not my mother," I retort.

"He's right. Cut the crap," Aspen cuts in.

"Okay," I say, walking up to Aspen. "I definitely know _you're_ not my mother." The corners of my lips turn up into a smirk. Aspen flips her caramel colored hair and sits down.

"You're not going to learn anything if you keep this up," she says.

"I've got everything I need to win this Game," I reply, glowering.

"Oh, really?" Her eyebrows pop up. She's amused by my answer, although I don't see why. "So, what do you do when you're out of water and you are alone in the woods?"

I open my mouth but no words come out.

"Yeah, just what I thought."

"I'll learn in training. Then, I'll get a great score and beat everyone. That's the plan," I announce.

"I very much like that plan. Short and simple," Halo says, grinning. She finally looks up from her nails and trots over to us. She pokes at her hairdo to make sure it's standing up correctly. I almost laugh at how ridiculous her hair looks. ."I believe it's time for dinner. Let's go!"

I groan and make my way to the dinner table. My stomach grumbles and once I get some food into my system, I realize how hungry I am. My family isn't dirt poor like some people in District Nine, but there are nights where I go to bed hungry. Last night was one of those nights, but at the Capitol, I'll get great food. And after the Games, once I'm crowned Victor, I'll be rich and my family will eat like kings every night.

After dinner, Dustin and I sit in front of the television. I plan on seeing what sort of programs the Capitol has on the TV, but Aspen rips the remote from my grasp. I let out a low growl, but she sends me a threatening glare and I back down. It's not worth fighting her, even though I'd win. She's skinny and doesn't have a lot of muscle. To be honest, I don't know how she won her games.

"Watch the Reapings," she says before leaving.

What's the point of her mentoring us if she won't stick around? I lean back, crossing my arms across my chest and watch the District One tributes hop onto the stage. I yawn as other tributes come to the stage in their districts. Some look eager to be up there and some don't.

"Allies?" Dustin asks.

"You want to be allies?" _Um, hell no._

"No, I meant who do you want to be allies with?"

"I'll have to see during training. I can't tell what their skills are just by watching them climb onto a stage." I noticed Dustin taking an interest in the boy from District Seven, leading me to believe they could be allies. But who knows? We don't know what they can do yet. For all we know, Seven could be a complete dud this year.

"How about dangerous tributes?"

"None of them." In actuality, I'm terrified of the tributes of Two. The Dictatrix girl has an evil glare in her eyes and Avtlift's grin is deadly. The boy from Twelve appears to be mentally insane. The girl from Ten could be nothing, but her emotionless stare makes me nervous. District One this year doesn't look like anything special. The last two tributes that could be threats are Dustin and Hayner from Seven. They're both large and could potentially be very fast.

The thing is I'm much faster and agile. I can fight. I can climb. I can throw. I can do this. I just need to think positively. "You should watch your back in the arena, Dustin," I say, before leaving the room to go to bed.

**Maize Koranon – District 11**

I feel bad for Bailey. He doesn't deserve this. He's been acting a little crazy since the Justice Building, but I'm pretty sure it's just nerves. I'm a tad nervous myself. All eighteen of my cousins and eight siblings will be watching me. They'll watch me ride chariots, stand on a stage in a pretty dress, and stand in the center of an arena. My younger family members don't understand the Games yet and I wish they'll never know. Eventually, they will find out. Hopefully, I'll live to tell the tale.

First off, I'm one of eight siblings. Plus, I have eighteen siblings, and one more on the way. My family is everything to me. I just want them to be safe. If I hadn't been Reaped, but one of my siblings or cousins got Reaped, I would have volunteered in a heartbeat. The only problem is that there's one of me and if I'm gone, who will look after them?

In the Justice Building, I'd talked to my friend, Cera. I made her promise to help take care of my family. She said she would do whatever it takes. She won't let them starve. The thought calms my mind a little, but I'm still under a great deal of stress. Anxiety has taken over me and my stomach has dropped somewhere around my ankles.

"So," Bailey says, softly, "what do you think's going to happen?"

"You know what's going to happen," I say with a small smile.

"I know, but I mean…after…after the Games once they crown the winner. You know? When we die?" Bailey's lip quivers and it seems like tears are fixing to fall down his face. "How can you be so…chipper?"

"I—I'm not. It's just how I am. I guess I have to be happy all the time in front of my siblings and cousins," I reply. I shrug, not even realizing I'd been smiling so "happily."

"Usually you save these profound conversations for the night before the Games," he says.

"Maybe we'll break tradition this year. Maybe they'll change the rules. Allow two people from one district to win," I say hopefully.

"The Capitol isn't one to break tradition. You know that," Bailey says. He stares at the floor of the train.

"You know," I say, "we need to be more positive. Neither one of us is going to win if we just sit here and be pessimistic. We're going to the Capitol for goodness sake! We're going to get real food, meet new people."

"Maize, you know what happens after that. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, I do, but I don't want to die thinking I shoulda, coulda, woulda. Just think about it. You have a chance to win. I have a chance to win. The Hunger Games is a game of chance," I say, standing up. "What's done is done. We can't turn back, not now or ever."

Colatia comes into the room in the same ridiculous outfit she had on at the Reapings. "Time to dinner, pumpkins!" She grins wildly, giggling, and leads us to the dining room. We sit down as the Avoxes bring out the food. There's more food than I've seen in my life and Bailey's put together. In District Eleven, we may be the agriculture district, but we don't get to keep any of the food.

Fibro throws himself in a chair across from me. He looks grumpy. I want to cheer him up, but what can I say to make him happier? Maybe you'll get a tribute to come back? Maybe both of us will live through the Bloodbath? No, that won't work. I guess I'll just have to think about how I can cheer him up. One day, I will make that curmudgeon smile.

"Finish quickly." Fibro shovels food into his mouth. Seeing all this food, I don't know where to start! With the roast duck? Or the salad with a large assortment of toppings? I smile, starting with the roast duck. Bailey seems to be enjoying the food too as he closes his eyes, savoring it.

After we finish eating, Fibro makes us sit in front of the TV to watch the Reapings. He messes with his hair as they start. Obviously, the Careers are terrifying. Some of the other older male tributes are just as scary. One girl from Ten has an eerie vibe. The boy from Twelve is even creepier. His grin sends shudders down my spine.

"Think about who you want for allies," Fibro tells us.

If I'm going to have allies, I'd want the girl from Six, Eight, and of course, Bailey. I glance at him, but he's completely ignoring me. He has different people in mind and those people don't include me. He occasionally glances at me, smiling faintly, but he's just trying to be friendly. I'm not worthy to be his ally. But, I'll have better allies. The girl from Six is bound to know about plants. The girl from Eight looks like she'd be good at something.

Something good will have to come out of the Games. Just one thing.

**Conrad Avtlift – District 2**

Gabrielle Dictatrix. She's definitely a catch, but also very deadly. On the way to the train, she was flirting with our escort, Nox. It's obvious she's interested in him, but she should be interested in me. I'm smart, handsome, and strong. I have what it takes to win these Games. Gabrielle should learn to sleep with one eye open.

Gabrielle is in a short, white dress and high heels. She sits in a seat on the train, staring at Nox the whole time. There's a glint of mischief in her eye, making me wonder what she's thinking. It's either an evil plan or something dirty, possibly both. I slide down to the seat next to her, giving her my best smile.

"Hey, so how long have you been training?" I ask her. I'd heard about her from around the district, but I've never meet her. I've seen her in the training center and she was pretty damn good. But, she's not as good as I am.

"Since before I could walk," Gabrielle says sharply. She avoids my gaze and she keeps watching Nox.

"He your boyfriend or something?" I cock an eyebrow as my smile morphs into a smirk.

"About to be." She mirrors my grin, although her's is a bit more malicious. She stands up and stalks off out of the room. My eyes wander a little, but she didn't notice. She shouldn't have worn such a short dress. That girl has long, slender legs. Her hair is also very long. If she doesn't keep it up at all times, she might end up missing a few inches during the Games.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Leo snaps. He gives me a small shove and turns me around. "You and Gabrielle need to watch the Reapings soon. You need to see who you need to look out for."

"It's all good," I tell him, holding my hands in the air carelessly. "No one's better than District Two."

"Tell that to Caedis," Leo grumbles.

Caedis was one of my distant cousins. I knew him pretty well. If that District Four girl didn't get those damn arrows, he could have won. He'd be mentoring me, not Leo. "Yeah, well, Caedis was weak. I'm not like Caedis. We may be related, but I have something he never had. Dignity."

Leo rolls his eyes like a teenage girl. What a joke. "I'm going to laugh if this year's District Four girl kills you."

"What great words of comfort," I say sarcastically.

"You two kiddies play nice now," Gabrielle says, sitting down beside me. She's wearing a different outfit. Her legs are covered in sleek, black slacks. Her shirt is a blood red that makes her hair stand out. She gracefully crosses her legs and folds her hands. My jaw threatens to drop open, but that would be very unprofessional. "What? You gonna stare or are you going to play the Reapings, Hasan?"

Leo nods and picks up the remote. The TV screen comes to life with color all over. The Reapings start how they usually start, with District One. Then, it will end with District Twelve, the worst district of them all. I don't see why the Capitol doesn't just blow them off the map like they did with District Thirteen.

In District One, there are siblings, the boy volunteering. It looks like the boy is jealous and wants to take the glory all for himself. Of course, there's the most amazing district anyone will ever know, District Two. Both of us volunteer. District Three has two nerds, as usual. District Four has loser tributes too. District Five, Six, Eight, Ten, and Eleven are just as boring. District Seven's guy looks okay, but I could take him. Same goes for District Nine's boy. District Twelve has the same lame tributes as always.

I can't help but notice that a lot of people volunteered this year. That's weird because it usually doesn't happen unless it's in the Career Districts. There's the occasional volunteer in a lower district, but they always end up dead. Most die in the Bloodbath. This year's Bloodbath is definitely going to be a show worth watching.

The Reapings end and I lean back, sighing heavily. "So, who looks dangerous?" Leo asks us, turning off the TV.

"None. Pretty soon they'll all be dead," Gabrielle says menacingly. I couldn't have put it better myself.

**Morgan Colliet – District 4**

"Okay! Okay! One more joke!" Lucien says, laughing loudly. "How do you make holy water?"

"I don't know. How?" Emilia Fiore replies. She raises an aquamarine eyebrow in curiosity. I glance at Pash Cursor, our District Victor, who is slumped in her seat, playing with the food on her plate. She's bored and uninterested in Lucien's foolishness. I feel the same way, because I just want to get home as soon as possible.

"You boil the _hell_ out of it!" He booms in laughter.

Emilia wipes away an invisible tear. "Oh, you're too funny, Lucien. The sponsors are going to eat you up!" She stands up and calls for an Avox to clean the table. "I think I'm going to go and freshen up. See you kiddies soon." She walks away with her heels clacking on the floor.

Lucien laughs, setting his booted feet on the table. He glances at me, a huge grin plastered on his face. "You see that?" He points towards where Emilia exited the room. "I swear, that woman…weird as f—"

Pash slaps Lucien on the back of his head before he can finish. "Watch your mouth, dumb ass," she tells him. "And feet off the table." She shoves his feet off and Lucien's smile is replaced by a frown. She ties her dark hair back with a hair tie, her intent gaze never leaving Lucien's face.

"Let up would you? We're going to the Capitol on our way to the biggest event of the year," Lucien says.

"You don't even know a thing about the Games. You don't know the truth," Pash snaps.

"I think I know the truth about the Games. You fight and one person wins. I'm going to be that person," Lucien says. "No offense, Morgan."

"Oh, yeah," I grumble. "Offense taken."

"I swear, if Orino wasn't passed out in the chair next to you, you'd be so dead right now!" Pash says loudly, wielding a fork. She narrows her eyes at Lucien.

"I'd like to see you try," he retorts.

"Really? Fine! I'll stab you right now!" Pash growls, jumping across the table. Lucien springs from his chair, knocking it backwards. He raises his fists, prepared to fight. He's never seen me, but I've seen him at the training center. He's definitely a fighter. I could maybe beat him, but he's been training for a long time whereas I've been training since I turned thirteen.

Pash is about to lunge for Lucien when I tackle her to the ground, getting the fork away from her grasp. "Calm the hell down!" I yell in her ear. She grabs my arm, twisting it behind my back, then sweeps my feet from underneath me and I land on the ground, hard. I grunt, then the weight is suddenly lifted off of me.

"Pash! Go and take a breather," Orino, our other District Victor, commands.

Pash raises an eyebrow, smirking a little. "Looks like we got lucky. Got some good tributes this year, don't we?" She runs a hand through her hair, exiting the room.

Orino heaves me up, pulls me to another room with a television, and sits me next to Lucien. He's sitting all spread out, staring at the ceiling like the television screen is there and not in front of him. "I want you both to watch the Reapings and think about your opponents. Tell me who you think are threats." He flips on the TV and sits back.

I lean forward, watching closely. The Reapings begin with District One and Two. Those tributes obviously are threats. The tributes from One are siblings, so my guess is that they will both have soft spots for each other that can also be used against each other. Two has the deadliest looking tributes. It makes me happy that in the beginning I'll be in an alliance with them. The only problem is that last year, Pash rejected the Careers and they're out for District Four's blood. I'll have to prove to them that I am willing to fight in the name of the Career Pack.

Three doesn't look threatening at all. The boy looks pretty smart. Conrad from Two will probably pressure him into joining us. Conrad is the most likely candidate to be the leader of the Careers. District Five has average looking tributes, nothing special. Same goes for Six. District Seven's male tribute is tall and large. He's strong and could definitely throw an axe with deadly accuracy. The girl looks like she could survive the Bloodbath, but die shortly after.

District Eight is not a threat. District Nine has a big male tribute and a girl that looks like she could be really fast. District Ten has a crippled boy. The girl is different. She's quiet and has a calm face. I mentally mark her down as a possible threat. District Eleven isn't a threat, as usual. The girl from District Twelve is not a threat, but the boy is a threat, no argument there. He's kind of scary, and seems to be on the verge of insanity. He's unstable and will most likely enjoy the bloodlust during the Games.

Lucien watches the Reapings and doesn't seem to be taking any mental notes. He kind of smiles when he notices a pretty girl on the stage. He doesn't take things seriously. How is he going to survive?

Pash enters the room and appears to have calmed down. "So, who do you think are threats?" she asks.

"Districts One and Two, the boy from Seven, the boy from Nine, the girl from Ten, and the boy from Twelve. Maybe the girl from Five, but it could be nothing," I say.

"I see the boy from One, Two, Seven, and Nine as tributes to watch out for," Lucien says. Of course he would pick the oldest male tributes. He fits in as one of them. If all of them became one big alliance, they'd be unstoppable.

"Truth is, they're all threats. Anything can happen in the arena. You need to watch out for all the tributes," Pash says.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sage Freedan – District 6**

I'm scared, terrified in fact. I don't know how this happened, but I just have to keep looking forward. I can't turn my back on this. My sister and parents wouldn't want me to cry in a corner. They'd want me to fight. I know my older sister didn't volunteer, and I can see why. She has a whole life to live and she has to take care of Tansy. They'll be alright without me, I suppose.

The thing is, I can't help but imagine what life would be back at home if I'm gone. Would anyone miss me? Would my friends mourn my death or just move on with their life? What about my family? Would Tansy know the difference in her life if I'm gone? Pondering these thoughts makes me wish Annie had volunteered. She's older and stronger. She has a chance. What chance do I have? A twelve year old girl from a district that makes trains and other types of transportation. What skills do I have? All I know is about plants. I could use it in the arena, but if someone were to confront me, what will I do? Throw plants at them until they run away? Beg and cry, hoping my dramatics would spare me?

I'm brought out of my musings as the stylists begin plucking hair from my body. I haven't exactly reached puberty yet so my hormones aren't changing to the point where I'm suddenly really hairy, growing taller, and having body odor. I might not even live to see what it's like to worry about boys and zits and grown up stuff. I'll miss so much.

A tear wells up in the corner of my eye, but I hastily wipe it away. I glance up when I hear a scream of pain, shouts of anger, and the clattering of utensils. My district partner, Tarragon, laughs as he figures out what has just happened. Apparently, a Career had cut off the finger of a stylist. I shudder, thinking of how it'll be in the arena. Which Career was it? Who do I need to look out for?

On the train, I'd watched the Reapings and wrote down who I should fear. I would have written down everyone, but Tarragon would never let me hear the end of it. The Careers this year are especially frightening, and the boy from Twelve. His district partner fears him. It shows in her eyes. The red head from Two is super scary with that glint of bloodlust in her eye. They say eyes are a gateway to the soul. I believe that's true, and a lot of people's souls show during the Games, usually when they're about to die.

I don't want to kill anyone. I want to go home, but I'd never hurt a fly. If I killed someone, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. To know I took away someone else's life, someone's chance to make a difference in the world, well, I wouldn't know what to do, think, or say.

I begin to bite my nails, but my nail stylist rips my fingers from my mouth. "Don't bite your nails. I have to do paint them now!" she says, giggling. She files my finger nails down and pulls out her extensive selection of nail polish colors. I watch as she paints intricate designs on my nails. They're colorful Capitol trains.

My head stylist comes in and shows me the outfit I'm going to wear. I gasp in awe as I put it on. It's magnificent and I'm sure the people of the Capitol will be excited. Tarragon enters as I get ready to exit. He's wearing a matching outfit. I'm pleased to know that our outfit isn't a front and back of a train. I'd probably end up as the caboose. Good news is, that's not our costume. Instead, we are shiny things that are some sort of transportation. We have metal shoulders and around our waist.

We'll be the highlight of the chariot rides. Tarragon laughs at my outfit. "We look so fricking ridiculous. Especially you!" He smirks at me, poking at my metal shoulders. "Just, seriously, look at this. This is Capitol fashion at its worst! The only thing that would top this all off would be helicopter hats that light up."

"Don't speak too soon!" our stylists chime in.

"Holy shit, I didn't mean seriously!" Tarragon says, frowning.

"We're joking," says my head stylist. "Now, it's time for you all to go!" They nudge us out to our chariot. The rides begin and my stomach does flips. I'd bite my nails, but the designs are so beautiful, I don't want to mess them up.

District One and Two are shiny and shimmery. District Three looks awkward as they're dressed in unitards with electrical wires. District Four's girl is absolutely stunning dressed as a mermaid. District Five is dressed with lightning bolts that stand for electricity.

We start rolling down the avenue. The crowd goes wild as we wave to them. Tarragon constantly has a smirk on his face as he waves nonchalantly. I don't know how he waves because it's an effort for me to just move my wrist.

"I can't believe these pricks like these outfits," Tarragon spits out, leaning against the edge. "I'm totally getting sponsors. You will too, I mean, if you don't _die_ in the Bloodbath first."

**Corduroy Dowlas – District 8**

There's a high pitched, piercing scream that echoes throughout the room. I'm not sure if it's one of the tributes or a stylist.

"You touch me again and that's not the only thing I'll cut off," a female voice threatens. It's to my left, where all the higher districts are. The voice is familiar. Gabrielle Dictatrix's voice. My body shudders as a bunch of Capitol stylists run past me. One male stylist has a piece of cloth wrapped around his finger, or presumably the stump. Another stylist scurries behind him with something in another cloth, which I can only assume is the severed finger. Blood falls onto the floor and an Avox comes to quickly clean it up.

When I rewatched the Reapings, the one person that stood out to me was Gabrielle Dictatrix. She's clever and tough, but I would never trust her in the arena. She's the type to stab you in the back when you least expect it. Mentally, I check her off on the list of people not to ask to be allies with.

I wince as I heard the sound of my leg hair being ripped off. With a scowl, I growl at one of my stylists. The prep team I have is overly peppy and keeps blabbing on about their day. They don't even care if I reply. The woman waxing my legs is Bianca and she is the most normal of the three people on my prep team. Her purple hair is braided extravagantly around her head and she has a sky blue outfit on.

"How are you doing?" Bianca asks as the other two stylists babble.

"What do you care? I'll be dead soon," I say flatly.

"Sometimes it's nice to have people care," she replies.

I scoff, looking up towards the sky. "Yeah, I guess so."

"That Gabrielle Dictatrix girl looks like some tough competition." She smiles at me, but it's one I can see straight through. She's only doing it to seem nice. Bianca is just doing her job.

"I'd rather not talk about my competition," I tell her, sighing softly. I'll think about the other tributes during training, but not now.

"Well," Bianca says, moving to my eyebrows, "what about your partner?"

Rilly is a sweet girl, but she's no one I really care about. I'm sure we could have been friends, except for the fact that she's kind of a loser and her friend is a freak. Somehow, the most popular guy, Pan, is fawning all over her. I'm sure that there'll be some Capitol guys falling to their knees for her.

"No! I don't want you to cut my hair!" Rilly shouts. "Please, just let it be like the way it is!"

"What the hell are they doing to her?" I laugh lightly. She's beginning to sound like a wimp. I'm sure she'll die in the Bloodbath.

"Her head stylist wants to cut her hair," Bianca says. "Okay. You're all done." She grins, plucking the last few hairs. I grimace and sit up. She and my other two stylists lead me to a different room.

My head stylist saunters in, wearing a large, white and golden hoopskirt. She sends me a wide grin, circling around me. "Hello, Corduroy! I'm Vesti, your stylist. Now, I've taken a lot of time to design your outfit. I hope you love it!" She giggles, reaching on a hanger rack for an outfit that's in a black bag. When she pulls it out, I gasp.

It's a giant Peacekeeper outfit with rhinestones. That's not manly. I can't wear that. Rilly's a girl; she can wear it. I'm not going to. I shake my head, backing away.

"Er…no," I say, drawing out the 'o.'

"Uh, yes," Vesti replies, drawing out the 's.' She pushes me towards the back of the room, forcing me into the suit. "You're going to look so great! Riley, too!"

"Her name's Rilly," I mumble as she pokes and prods me with long fingernails.

"Hm. Bianca could have trimmed your hair a bit more. Oh, well. But, we're done! Are you ready for the chariot rides?" Vesti throws me out the room and I finally get to see what Rilly's outfit looks like. Her Peacekeeper outfit appears to be the same, but it fits to her body better than it does for me. Her hair is much shorter. Before it was around her waist, and now it's in a short bob at her shoulders.

"I'm ready to go," Rilly says softly. I nod as we load into our chariot. Our horses neigh as they tug a little. Rilly grips the side of the chariot as they begin to roll out.

It starts with District One. The girl is wearing a bikini top covered in sapphires and her brother has a top with sage gems all over. Gabrielle is wearing an outfit that makes her look like a goddess and her hair looks like it's on fire. Her partner has an outfit that makes him look like a mythical god. District Three's outfits are unitards with wires on them. District Four has the typical fishnets, but the girl is dressed like a mermaid. The District Five girl is stunning with her black dress with lightning bolts that light up. Her partner is much less entertaining.

District Six is wearing a strange looking outfit that makes them look like trains. District Seven is still wearing tree outfits, like the ones they have every year. Soon, our chariot begins to roll out. The crowd cheers loudly as I smile at them, waving. Rilly runs a hand through her sparkly hair and blows kisses to the crowd. That drives them nuts and they scream even louder. They're cheering even louder for her than they are for me. Does that mean she's going to get more sponsors? Because sponsors could mean the difference between life and death in the arena.

**Trenton Cedar – District 10**

Parrow doesn't say much, and it makes me nervous. She watches everything like there's supposed to be some sort of deep meaning. When we were on the train, she didn't say anything about the other tributes. I wonder what she has in store for them and for me.

My stylists move quickly to prep me for the chariot rides. I wish they'd stop poking at me because it's just plain annoying. I wish my brother was here too. I wish a lot of things were different. I really wish I wasn't here, period. Who wants to be in the Hunger Games because the bloody Careers? No one. The lower districts see the Hunger Games as a death sentence. And so do I.

"So, I really am excited for the Games this year," my hair stylist gasps. "Last year's Games were so-so. This year, the Gamemakers have a special surprise for the tributes. What do you think the surprise will be?"

She glances at me. I open my mouth to reply, but my other stylist replies instead. "I think it'll be a giant mutt. Maybe a new trap!" He grins and works on my nails, or what's left of them after I bit them all off because of nervous habit. "Oh, goodness, Trenton. Your nails are history!" He frowns, but continues to fix them. "Let's add some fake nails. Then they'll be much nicer!"

I woder how Parrow is reacting to all of this. She doesn't seem like the type to enjoy this type of attention. She's different than most girls and I like that. I hope she doesn't die in the Bloodbath because I'd love for her to be my ally. She's smart and would know something about being in the wild.

"Your hair is so crazy," my hair stylist giggles as she brushes it over and over again. I'm sure by now it's silky smooth. She starts waxing my legs, then pauses at my right leg, the one that's different than the other. And that difference isn't a good thing. In fact, it makes my life harder. When I was younger, I'd broken it and it never healed properly. I had an infection and they nearly had to amputate because we didn't have the best medicine. I thought I would die, but things changed. I was able to get some medicine and the infection went away. Little did I know that my mother had stolen the medicine. No one else knows, and no one will ever know.

My hair stylist continues waxing my legs like nothing's wrong. I wince and gasp in pain as the hair is ripped off. I don't know how the Capitol citizens can deal with this. And they have surgical procedures done to alter their faces and bodies! I don't support it, but they could maybe fix my leg if I survive.

After being waxed and having a manicure, which is not manly at all, I am sent to a dressing room. My head stylist and costume designer waddles through the door. She messes with her hair, making sure it stays up in a bow on her head. "I designed a very special outfit for you!" she tells me. She hands me the costume and helps me put it on.

When I'm finished dressing up, I gaze in the mirror. I look like a cow with purple spots instead of black. Last year, they had brown cows and this year is purple. The pant legs are long and loose to hide my deformed leg. My head stylist adds the finishing touch by setting a pair of cow ears on my head.

Parrow comes in slowly, in the exact same outfit, ears and all. Our purple belts shimmer in the light as we make our way down to the chariots. All the other districts are positioning themselves to take off. I can already hear the cheers of excitement.

The gemstone covered District One tributes roll out followed by the District Two "god and goddess." Next are the techy District Three and fishy District Four. The electrifying District Five is after them. District Six is dressed as some sort of mode of transportation or a robot. District Eight tributes are Peacekeepers with extra glamour and accessories. District Nine is dressed as what it looks like grains. The boy has had his hair cut, just like the girl from Eight.

We, the District Ten tributes, move on out. Our horses neigh, strolling down the avenue. The applause, praise, and rooting is loud, yet it makes me feel good. I like that they're cheering for me. They don't care about my deformity. They just want me to continue to look pretty until I die or get crowned Victor.

Parrow waves tentatively to the citizens. Soon, she opens up, giving slightly more enthusiastic waves. I understand how she feels. Being the best we can be now could depend on our life in the arena. Sponsors mean everything.

Finally, we reach the Training Center. We head upstairs and our escort shows us around. I gaze at Parrow who is once again expressionless. She's tired and sad. That's exactly how I feel now. My mind keeps coming back to the possibility that I might die.

I wrap my hand around my token; my mother's wedding ring before she was killed by Peacekeepers. Maybe it'll bring me some good luck.

**Ector Cabot – District 12**

Larkspur is a wimp, period. I can hear her screaming and even though she's a couple of feet from me, it feels like her shrieks are right in my ear. She's so annoying that I just want to stab her in the throat now. It'd spare us both. She won't have to go through the Games where she'd die quickly and my ears won't have to endure this damn torture.

I let out a sharp snarl as my stylist goes for my face. Earlier, I heard a shriek from the other end of the room. Apparently, a tribute had cut off a stylist's finger. In my mind, I snicker at the thought. Whoever did that has some serious guts to do that right here in the Capitol. Then again, the Capitol will love a feisty tribute. Perhaps I should go at this in a different angle. Of course, I'm not too worried about getting sponsors. I can win this thing on my own, but sponsors would be appreciated.

My stylists mutter amongst themselves as if I can't hear their conversations. I don't give a damn though. They're pathetic little twats that won't mean anything to me soon. After the Games, when I'm crowned Victor, I'll be able to treat them however I want. I won't have to face the Reapings anymore. I'll live in the Victor Village with my friend Kenneth. No parents allowed. No _adults_ allowed.

Larkspur lets out a little squeal again. I just want to bang her head against the wall until blood gushes onto the floor. I can't wait to get into the arena. All the blood, that warm, red liquid that pumps through everyone's veins. Everyone might be different on the outside and in our minds, but when you get down to anatomy, we're all the same. I can think of several different ways to kill a person, and it'd work for _every_ person because we're the same.

My face contorts in disgust as the prep team continues to make me look "pretty." The torture ends soon though, just not soon enough. As I'm leaving, I catch a glimpse of Larkspur, who's whimpering on the table like a baby. There's probably a thousand ways I could shake her up before training and the Games. Even now.

My head stylist forces me into an ugly, black outfit. The fabric is rough, like rocks, better yet, coal. Tiana gawks at the outfit, batting her eyelashes that must be a mile long. Oh, what joy it would be to rip off those eyelashes, along with the rest of her ugly face. Most of it's artificial so it shouldn't hurt her too much, but pain is alright with me. It'll prove to me that she's human.

Tiana flips a switch or something and the "coal" kind of glows as if it were burning embers. Larkspur comes out, sniffling from crying, and has an outfit like mine. Our stylists add the finishing touches by spreading coal dust on all the parts of us that are exposed. Our outfits are cut off at the shoulders so they look like tank tops. My shoulders are lathered in black dust that makes me want to sneeze my brains out.

"Showtime!" Tiana giggles, shoving us towards our chariot. The two horses that will pull us are black and small. I stand on the chariot, gripping the sides. "Ready?" _I'm ready to rip her esophagus out of her throat. _

Larkspur quakes in her black shoes, messing with her hair. The Career Districts are the flashiest, as always with their glitter and gemstones. It makes me want to puke on a puppy. District Three's tributes look like total geeks. District Five's girl is the main event and the same goes for Eight's girl. The boy from Eight doesn't look exactly happy; maybe he's more worried than upset about the lack of attention. District Seven is dressed as trees again. District Nine, I really don't give a shit about them. District Ten's tributes are cows…again. District Eleven look like dumbass farmers.

And, suddenly, away we go, down the street and in front of the people of the Capitol. Larkspur nervously waves to the crowd, keeping one hand in front of her mouth. At one point, I swear she was sucking her thumb. I stand on the chariot, not waving or doing anything. I don't care if I get sponsors or not. I'm not going to smile and wave to the people and be all pretty.

But, then again. I crack a grin that's more like a smirk. Larkspur suddenly inches closer towards the other side of the chariot. The cheers instantly die down. I guess they don't realize they're looking at the next Victor of the Hunger Games.

"You know," I whisper to Larkspur. "I think when we get to the Training Center, we should play doctor. I'll be the doctor and you can be the patient."

"Uh, no thanks," Larkspur squeaks.

"No, it'll be fun. Did you know they used to yank out your brains through your nose before they buried you? In some places, they used to rip out your heart while you were still alive. They used to eat the hearts while they were still beating. Talk about your…ahem, hearty meal," I say, laughing lightly.

Her eyes are wide, like dinner plates. She's shaken up, I can tell. She's scared of me. Who wouldn't be? She gulps, messing with her stringy hair some more. Pathetic.

"I think I'll experiment with you. Do you mind?" I wink at her.

"Ector," Larkspur pleads. "Please stop playing. Save it for the Games."

"Who said I was playing, Larkie?" I question as we pull up to the Training Center. "Besides, the Games have already begun."


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorren Princeps – District 1**

Not much has changed since we've arrived at the Capitol. The only thing that's difference is the scenery, but just barely. The buildings are taller here than they are in District One. They're scale-less. They could be fifty feet tall or fifty thousand feet tall. My sister is still the same: quiet, yet calculating. I've always had a difficult time getting into her head.

After last night, I, myself, am speechless as well. The chariot rides were stunning and an experience I will never forget. The images are still stuck in my mind. The gems, the lights, and cheers. As we rode out down the tributes' avenue, my blood was pumping through my veins, making me shake with happiness and pride. I'm not sure if Sapphire feels the same way, but I like the feeling. The attention, all eyes on me.

"Are you almost done, Sorren?" Sapphire asks me. She glances at me, a smile playing on the corners of her lips. She messes with the tips of her hair, which is pulled into a bun. Her fingers trail down to the hem of her shirt as she stands.

Of course, I've nearly forgotten. It's the first day of training. We'll be interacting with the other tributes for the first time. Everyone will see what each other can do and alliances will already begin to form. It's crucial that Sapphire and I become part of the Career Pack. The other districts see our pack as cruel and heartless, but clearly it means survival. Do I support overly vicious tributes from the Career Districts? No, but they will help take out some of the competition. You just have to watch your back and sleep with one eye open.

I nod slowly, biting my lip nervously. An Avox clears the table and Rosea primps herself. "Alrighty, sweeties. Last night was absolutely amazing! You really blew Panem away. The ratings are going off the roof!" She grins at us with her too white teeth. She straightens Sapphire's shirt and then comes for me. I quickly duck and dodge to keep her from touching on me. It's weird, especially since I don't know how old this lady is because of all her makeup. "This is the first day of training. Have fun!"

Beatrix steps in, pushing Rosea aside and crosses her arms. Earlier, she appeared to be bored. She would yawn, look somewhere else, and even twiddle her thumbs. After last night though, she perked up. She suddenly took an interest in the two of us, seeing we had a pretty good chance at winning. Well, one of us has a chance at winning. As the Games come closer, I'm beginning to think that maybe _I really do want to win._ I want to live in glory forever. The attention, the girls, the pride.

Beatrix claps her hands together eagerly. "Okay, last night you two agreed on training together. Now, it's the first day of training. Take note of all the tributes. Know who's a threat and who you don't need to worry about. But, don't underestimate anyone because some strategies people have is acting weak." She leads us to the elevator. We're already on the first floor, but we still need to go down to reach the Training Center.

Sapphire and I stand in silence in the elevator. The two things I hear are the soft hum of the machinery working and my heavy breathing. My heart is beating fast as my hands sweat. I'd bite my lip, but it's already chapped and I don't want to taste the blood. My sister's blue eyes are fixed on me; the smile is still there. Her hands fiddle with the bracelet on her wrist, her best friend's bracelet. It must have been her token.

My best friend, Grays, had seen me off at the Justice Building, but he didn't give me anything. My mother came too, but she didn't really say anything but "I love you" and "bye." She might as well have said "Bye, I hope your sister comes back because you were a mistake."

The doors glide open and we step onto the smooth floor. The Training Center is absolutely perfect for well…training. As bluntly and blatantly as I put it, they have everything a person needs to train for the Hunger Games and more. Someone could train an army in here. The room is huge and weapons line the side of one wall. My eyes immediately notice a long sword that shimmers under the light.

A hand touches my shoulder and drags me to the center. There are already a couple of other districts standing in the circle. Gabrielle Dictatrix is messing with her red hair that's in a fishtail braid. Her face is forever stuck in an expression that reads as mean, arrogant, and violent. She's like the devil's daughter. Her district partner I can't say much about except that he looks like a stereotypical District Two tribute. Even the Careers have stereotypes for other Careers just as the lower districts do.

Mae Lotta, the head trainer begins to speak as soon as the last tributes tread into the room. Everyone is sneaking glances at each other, studying and examining. Mae begins to explain training. There are several stations that include weapons, hand to hand combat, camouflage, snares, and more. At each station, there will be professional trainers to help.

When Mae finishes, we break up. Immediately, my sister and I join each other, heading for the Weapons. My hand reaches for the sword on the wall that I'd spotted earlier. But, a smaller, delicate yet deadly hand snatches the sword away. Spinning on my heels, I see red hair, then the piercing blue eyes.

"Hey, want to join the Career Pack?" Gabrielle asks, grinning almost maliciously.

**Maxwell Hoover Demonico – District 3**

Pietta doesn't laugh at my jokes, which is kind of a bummer. We like the same things, math and science, but she's more serious about things I suppose. She doesn't interact with people much and tries to distance herself. She keeps to herself and stays quiet unless spoken to.

"So, the one proton says to the neutron, 'I think I lost an electron.' Then, the neutron says, 'Are you sure?' Then the proton says, 'Yes! I'm _positive_!'" I say as a last attempt to cheer her up. I crack up laughing, but Pietta stares at me blankly. I want to be friends with her, but one thing that keeps me from doing so is the fact that I may have to end up making her living status deceased as a lack of a better way to put it.

"Oh, come on," I say, stepping into the elevator with her. "That was definitely funny."

Devon closes the doors and presses the button. "Okay, you two, I'm going to be very blunt. You both suck. That's why you need allies, and damn good allies. Do you understand? Don't get on anyone's bad side, especially not the girl from District Two. Don't make yourself targets either." The doors slide open as we reach the Training Center. He shoves us out and the doors close once more.

Pietta scurries ahead of me, fixating herself in the circle where the other tributes stand. Districts One, Two, Four, and Five are already there. I stand next to the girl from Five, whose stony gaze is set on the Head Trainer, Mae.

"Hi, I'm…I'm…Maxwell Hoover Demonico. But you can call me Max," I say, holding my hand out to her. She seems to be capable of handling herself. I'll have to see her train a bit, but I mentally mark her down as a possible ally.

"What a mouthful," she replies. She doesn't shake my hand, but she gives me a sort of half crooked smile. "Nice to meet you." And with that, she walks away. No name or age: nothing. I'm not exactly sure whether I'm on her bad side or good side.

After that failure, I decide to stand next to Pietta. Mae's voice booms across the room, once the District Twelve tributes approach the circle. "Welcome, tributes! These are your Training Days. Here you will be able to practice and perfect any skills you may need to survive in the arena. After the training, you will have sessions with the Gamemakers." She grins to us all, intrigued by this set of tributes. "There are over fifteen stations for you to visit and there will be a trainer at each to help guide you. Good luck, tributes, and happy Hunger Games." She departs and everyone heads for different stations.

"Pietta!" I call out. Her brown hair flies across her face as she turns to face me. "Do you want to be allies?"

"You haven't even seen me do anything yet," she replies tentatively.

"We'd last longer together though and I'm pretty positive you can do something extraordinary," I tell her confidently.

"I'll consider it," she says.

_Yes! I might have an ally. _Pietta heads over to the plant station where she sits with the younger girl from Six. The two appear to be getting along, but I'm not sure. I move towards the snares. I can set traps, but I've never dealt with snares before. Turns out, I have a knack for it. It's easy to learn and I'm a fast learner.

Conrad glances at me from the spear station, cockily raising an eyebrow. With an arrogant grin, he throws the spear from twenty feet away, hitting the center of the bulls eye perfectly. He picks up another, chucking it with amazing precision and accuracy. It slams into the bulls eye again.

Lucien from Four is experimenting with the trident as his partner joins Conrad at the spears. I search for the girl from Five. I spot her dark head stopping at the edible plants and insects station. I contemplate approaching her again, but I don't think it would be a good idea. Gabrielle is standing with the tributes from One, obviously recruiting them for the Career Pack.

Pietta is still with the girl from Six, Sage. Both of the girls are small. Of course, I'm pretty small too for a guy. I'm not sure if just the two of them would make a good alliance. They would need one or two more people. The girl from Eight joins them, and the two appear to have added another person to their alliance.

At the fire station, I'm greeted by the boy from Ten. "Do you know how to start a fire?" the boy asks, leaning on his left leg. As I recall, he was the crippled boy.

I nod in response and begin to explain the process. It takes the boy a few tries to create a spark, but he was successful none the less. "I'm Max," I tell him.

"Trenton." He smiles at me.

"Allies?"

"Allies."

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

Kage Hatenn is a prick, period. I know he hates me and I hope he knows that I hate him too. When we sit for breakfast, his face morphs into an array of expressions from sly to hate to mischief. As far as I can tell, I'm one of his targets. After breakfast, we head down for the Training Center.

Once _I_ reach the floor, I separate myself from Kage. Everyone circles around the head trainer. A small boy, several inches shorter than I am, approaches me. He has a weasel of a face and his hair is in total disarray. I kind of smile, but fail. It's hard to be nice, especially since we're being sent to our death and I may or may not have to kill him. He seems innocent, but that's what people want you to think at this stage in the Games.

"Hi, I'm…I'm…Maxwell Hoover Demonico. But you can call me Max," he stutters.

"What a mouthful," I reply bluntly. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Kage sauntering over. I would have said more, but it's time for me to leave. I end up standing next to the girl from Eight who is trembling slightly. I don't know what skills she has, and it seems like she doesn't have many. She is not a person I would recruit for an ally, but I could try and help her out. She needs all the help she can get.

To my right is the boy from Seven, the large lumberjack. He's smiling at his district partner, conversing casually. Now's the time to study all the other tributes. See what they can do. Watching the tributes from the lower districts, I also listen to Mae. It all seems easy enough. The girl from Eight wanders somewhat aimlessly. The Seven tributes immediately go for the axes. If they want to survive though, they're going to need to have more skills than just chucking axes around.

I spend a little bit of my time at edible plants and insects since that isn't something I know much about. After I learn about several plants that could save my life, I make my way towards archery. I've shot an arrow a few times in my life, but it's been awhile.

I pluck a silver bow off the wall and load an arrow. Focusing on the target, I release the string. I'm pretty strong so it isn't much of an effort to pull back the taunt string. The arrow flies, whistling in my ear as it leaves. It slams into the shoulder on the target that's shaped like a human. I try to more times without succeeding in hitting the exact center of the bulls eye. It'll be a miracle more me to hit a target and kill.

Knives are far easier for me. Every time I throw a knife, it glides into the air and hits the target where I want it to. I decide to visit some other stations where I'm not as strong. Even if I don't know how to use everything myself, I'll know how others use them and how I could possibly use it against them.

At the climbing station, I successfully get to the top after a few tries. The rope course is easier, but I'm still not sure how it'll help me unless the arena has monkey bars or some other type of hanging thing.

My next station is sword fighting. I've never used a sword, and I'm afraid to start now. The trainer hands me a sword, but it's too heavy. Instead, I go for a lighter sword with a thinner blade. The trainer gives me tips about fighting, telling my when to lunge and when to dodge. The sword fits comfortably in my hand and it's effective.

Three times, I knock the trainer's sword from his hand and hold it to his throat. A breath escapes my lips. It's relieving to know that I can use at least two weapons. Since I can throw a knife so accurately, I test out spears. However, it's a major fail. Snares are pretty easy to learn. I learn a couple that will help me catch prey. Because I cannot use a bow and arrow, it may be harder to hunt, but perhaps knives will come in handy once it comes down to the situation.

The girl from Eight is at the hand-to-hand combat station. She wobbles and struggles to spar with the trainer. He snaps at her, making her even more nervous. I figure that this is the time to do at least one nice thing for someone else before I have to kill in the arena. The trainer throws his hands in the air, leaving the girl behind.

"Hey," I say, catching up with the girl who is about to go to a different station. "Need some help?"

"Yeah, but the trainer is really fed up," she says softly.

"What's your name?"

"Rilly," she replies. "And you?"

"Nayeli. Why don't I help you out?" I ask.

"You're from Five, right? You're Nayeli Morte…" I know where she's going with this. I try to ignore her. "Your brother was in the Hunger Games a couple years ago, wasn't he?"

"Uh, yeah," I mutter. I move her to stand in front of me. "Look, want me to help you or not?" She nods quickly. "When you punch someone, don't tuck your thumb in or you'll break it. That's rule one. Two, try and hit your opponent first. Get them on the ground before they get your, otherwise, you're screwed." The two of us are about the same height. She actually might be an inch or two taller.

"Okay, I got you."

"Aim for the weak spots on the body. Solar plexus. Nose. Groin. And, instep. It's very simple. Also, remember to use your opponent's weight against them. Now, let me show you some blocking techniques. Hit me in the nose." I motion for her to come at me.

"No! I can't hit you. That's mean!" she exclaims.

"You're not going to win with that attitude. Now, come on." I glance away for one second and notice the Careers watching me. If I show them how well I can fight, I could become a target, or they would try and recruit me. That would lead to me refusing and becoming a target. Rilly groans, muttering to herself.

When I turn back to Rilly, a fist comes flying, hitting me in the nose. "Ow! Holy mother of all that is holy! Holy crap! Sweet molasses!" I think something cracked, but I can't be sure. Warm liquid flows down my face. The blood inside of my head pounds at my ears.

"Oh no! Oh no! I'm so sorry! P-Please don't kill me! I'm sorry!" Rilly squeals.

"Just give me that towel so I can wipe up some blood."

Rilly reaches for the towel on a bench and hands it to me. The Careers are amused, as well as some of the trainers. I press the towel to my nose, letting it soak up the blood.

"I'm going to guess you don't want me to be your ally?" she says apologetically.

I shake my head. "No. Not in this life time. Sorry." I was never going to be her ally, and now I'm definitely not. It's not her fault because I asked for it, but she's a disaster waiting to happen.

**Washington Hayner – District 7**

Clara is an absolutely great girl. She's sweet, funny, and kind. She's easy to talk to, and I like that. Unfortunately, I think she thinks that this is turning into something more. She needs to know it can't. It seems like love or anything of the like screws things up, especially these types of situations.

Sitting at the breakfast table, I look at the photograph Miles gave me in the Justice Building. It's of the two of us along with a few of our other friends from the orphanage. I remember two of the children had been reaped a few years back. Another one had been adopted. Another one passed away from illness and another died from an accident. I hope I won't be added to the list of the dead.

I want to go home. I want to be with my brother and watch him grow up. I want to find a nice girl and settle down. As a Victor I'll be able to build a bigger and better orphanage with my winnings for all the children left behind. And maybe in honor of Clara, I'll build an animal shelter since she loves them so much. The Lignum Animal Shelter has a nice ring to it. And so does Hayner's Home for Children.

What I want most though is Miles to be proud of me. When I come home, I still want him to look at me as his big brother. I don't want to end up as the murderous monster. I guess what I'm saying is that I want everything to be back to the way it was. But we all know that will never happen.

"Are you nervous?" Clara asks, finishing her breakfast.

I shrug indifferently. Training will be interesting and I'll be able to hone some skills I need to survive in the arena. "I suppose. You?"

"I'm terrified. They'll have axes, so that's good. But, I mean, seriously. Being with all the other tributes? It's going to be some serious stuff. What if I can't get an ally?"

"Then, I'll help you out. P-Promise," I say, smiling at her. She smiles back and my heart begins to hurt. I can't kill her. All I can do is pray that someone else will get her. It seems so awful to think it, and yet, not all _that_ bad.

"Can I ask you something else?" Clara says, as we enter the elevator. "If…well, if two things happen: one, I get caught by Careers and two, if I'm dying…will you…will you…" Her voice becomes smaller and smaller until it eventually trails off. I know what she wants though. It's like if you find a dog that's fatally injured, you end its life. You have to think about the quality of life. Clara Lignum wants me to kill her if anything goes wrong.

All I can do is nod in response.

Down at the Training Center, I stand next to the girl from Five and Clara. Clara babbles on as her usual bubbly self, like we never had the conversation in the elevator. Every now and then, I nod and give feeble responses. The one person that catches my eye is the tribute from Nine, Dustin.

In a split second, he stares at me. He gives me a little nod and I think I can understand him. If I'm right, he wants to meet with me and see what skills we each have. Combined, we'd be one hell of a team. When I glance at the tribute from Four, Lucien, I automatically can tell it's a no. He's already talking with the other Careers.

The Head Trainer wraps up her speech quickly. Instinctively, I go to the axes with Clara. The girl from Five stares at me and I consider asking her to be allies. She appears to want to be alone. That's probably her strategy. When I throw the axes to the human shaped target, it smashes into the head or chest area each time. The same goes for Clara, although she's a bit less consistent. She's still very deadly with the axe, just like me.

The boy from Eleven is at the slingshot station with his district partner. Both tributes from Ten make their way to different stations including fire starting, camouflage, and knot making. Lucien is at the tridents. Gabrielle, Sorren, and Sapphire are at the sword station. Conrad and Morgan are playing with the spears. They are all fantastic with weapons. I gulp, but try to not let it bother me. My head is held high and I make my way for the camouflage station.

There, I meet up with Dustin. "Hey, I'm Washington," I say, holding my hand out for him to shake.

"Nice to meet you. Dustin," he says, shaking my hand.

"What can you do?"

"I know edible plants and I can use a sword. I'm pretty strong too. What about you?" Dustin asks. He puts his hand to his head as if to run a hand through his hair. Then, he awkwardly lets his hand fall to the side. I recall that at the Reapings, his hair was long and shaggy. His prep team must have cut it.

"I can use an axe and I know how to use knots and make shelters. I also know how to start a fire. Plus, I'm good at wrestling seeing I wrestled with my brother a lot in District Seven."

"Want to be allies?"

"Sure. We'll be unstoppable," I say, flashing a grin. The two of us shake on it, moving towards the gauntlet to test our agility. Both of us are pretty damn fast. We are going to be unstoppable.


	17. Chapter 17

**Dustin Proelia – District 9**

Day Two of training. Day Five of being away from Ebony. Why I didn't ask her to marry me at the Justice Building is beyond me. I should have, but why didn't I? It's early in the morning and I'm lying in bed. All I can think about is what I didn't do and what I should have done. Is this what most people do before they're sent to their death or about to die?

Halo bounds into my room and taps her heels. She has a new wig on this morning. It's a light red color and very long. The rest of her red outfit is strange. It's not exactly what I'd like to see first thing in the morning.

She flips on the bright lights which gives me an even "better" view of her bizarre outfit. I have to squint to be able to focus on things. My hands reach for my face so I can rub the sleep from my eyes. "Rise and shine, sweetheart!" She rips the covers off of me and begins to pull me out of bed. For such a small lady, she sure has a lot of muscle.

With a groan, I force myself out of bed. Gem struts down the hall and into the bathroom. I enter my bathroom and wash my face. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that all my long hair is gone. It's kind of weird not having hair falling into my eyes. It's bad enough they force us into an arena, now the Capitol has to cut my hair and change my looks. Gem is lucky since they didn't really do anything drastic to her body.

The person in the mirror isn't me. I'm dreading the day we have to go to the arena. Assuming there's a bright side, I have a good ally. Washington seems resourceful. He's good with an axe. He can tie strong knots and make shelters too. Both of us are strong and I can identify plants. That could save our lives.

As I exit the bathroom, Gem comes down the hall, knocking into me. "Watch it," she snaps. I furrow my eyebrows, wondering what I have to watch out for. She's the one that bumped into me. I can't get angry about it though. Ebony wouldn't want me to fight before I even get into the arena.

Breakfast goes by quickly and Halo ushers us into the elevator. We're on level nine since we're from District Nine. It takes less than a minute to reach the Training Center. A few districts are already there. I meet up with Washington, finally separating him from Clara. We barely even listen to the head trainer before heading towards the stations.

"We need to think about who we should look out for," I say. It's already been a day. By now, most of the tributes should be settled in, particularly the Careers. When I glance at them, Gabrielle is conversing with Sorren, flipping her hair flirtatiously. He doesn't seem to be interested in her, but more in the sword she's holding. The Princeps boy also doesn't seem like the type to be blood thirsty. The girl, on the other hand, looks like she could be hiding something. A secret skill.

"Where's your district partner?" Wash asks, peering around a corner at the District Twelve boy. He's using a sword with a trainer. He swings it and attacks the trainer with amazing finesse. He's light on his feet and fast.

"Gem wants to be trained separately," I say. I notice the District Ten girl climbing the fake tree in the center. She's also fast and stealthy. I make a note to watch out for her. She's sly and cunning. She could easily steal food and supplies from under our noses and we could never notice.

"What's she like?"

I shrug. "There's not much to say. I don't want to speak badly about her." We head for the gauntlet. A trainer is there, waiting for some poor tributes to fail. He has a permanent smirk on his face.

"I'm going to try it out," Wash says, approaching the obstacle course. He speaks with the trainer briefly. My eyes wander throughout the gymnasium. Rilly is working with the girl from Five again. Yesterday, the Eight girl gave her a bloody nose. I'm not sure if they're working together or not. Rilly is trying to use a sword, but she's wobbly. It's obvious that weapons and fighting aren't her strong point. She'll have to have good allies and evade.

Tarragon is completely alone as he practices with his sword. He avoids the Careers at that station and Ector from Twelve. Ector occasionally looks around, grinning like a mad man. Everyone seems to be scared of him or at least nervous, even his district partner. The three people that seem completely unafraid are Conrad, Gabrielle, and Lucien. They walk around all high and mighty, heads held up, and shoulders back.

Maxwell and Pietta from Three are at the snare station, talking. Maxwell's ally from Ten is with him as well. They don't look like a team that will be able to do much. The boy from Ten is crippled and Max is definitely not a fighter.

Wash nods to the trainer and begins the course. He jumps from platform to platform. I watch the stopwatch above him. The trainer swings a padded club which Wash ducks as he runs. He's quick, but not as quick as some of the other tributes are.

When he finishes, he does decently. Now, it's my turn. The first time, I am hit with the club. It doesn't hurt, but it knocks me off my feet. The second time around, I'm successful. Wash and I are a good team. We'll be unstoppable. I will win the Games. I'm just hoping that in the end, I won't have to fight Wash to the death.

**Bailey Fera – District 11**

Maize laughs with Colatia. They've become good friends over the last couple of days. I wonder what would happen if Maize was opposite the person she is now. She would probably hate our bubbly escort. She grins happily, but she really needs to learn the rules of this Game. And in the end, she won't be smiling.

I push the food around on my plate, not feeling too hungry. The Games are a couple of days away. I really should eat, but I can't bring myself to. Fibro scowls at me. "You betta eat somethin', kid," he says gruffly. "Gotta get some meat on them bones."

I frown, eating a piece of colorful food. I don't even know what half the stuff that's in this food, but it tastes delectable. After I finish, it's time for training. Day Two and I haven't figured out what I'm going to do for the Gamemakers. I'll have fifteen minutes with them and end up doing nothing.

"You'll be able to do something," Maize tells me in the elevator.

"What?" I raise an eyebrow, confused about what she meant.

"For the Gamemakers. I know you're nervous, but don't be. You'll do great," she says with a smile.

"How do you know?"

"You talk to yourself."

"Oh." My mouth forms an 'o.' The elevator doors open and we step out. We take our place in the circle of tributes. The head trainer finishes her brief speech. Maize follows me to the slingshot station. Nearly all of yesterday, I worked on using a slingshot. I've used one in District Eleven, but the ones made in the Capitol are very different.

We practice with the slingshots. I hit the target about seven times out of ten. Maize then leaves to go to the edible plants station, leaving me alone. In one of the trees, I spot a girl climbing up to the top. My hand grasps a lower branch as I try to hoist myself up. However, I can't seem to get any higher than that. Unlike my brothers, I don't have any muscle in my arms.

"You having a hard time?" the girl says. The top of the tree shields her face from me, but I can imagine her staring at me in wonder. "My name's Parrow." She slides down a few branches, finally coming into my view. She has long brown hair flowing down her shoulders. She smiles slightly at me with big brown eyes. Yet, she appears to be very serious.

"Um, Bailey. Nice to meet you," I say, holding my hand out to her. My other hand holds onto the branch so I don't fall off.

"I don't think shaking hands is the best idea since you can barely rest on the branch with one hand," she points out.

"Oh, um, well, what can you do?"

"I know plants, insects, and other animals," she tells me as she sits on a branch, letting her feet dangle. "I can use a bow and arrow too, along with snares. You?" She cocks her head to the side curiously.

"Slingshot. And kind of plants." Parrow can do a lot of things. A lot things that could save my life. "Want to be allies?"

"Sure." Her smile grows and she hops down the tree, landing softly on the ground. We also recruit Maize to be in our alliance.

At lunch, we sit together at a table far away from the Careers. The girl from Five sits alone. I'd asked her if she wanted to eat with us, but she said no. The boy from Twelve is near the girl from Five, but has no interest in socializing. No one even goes near him.

Pietta, Sage, Rilly, Trenton, and Max are together at a table. I assume they are an alliance now. Tarragon ends up sitting with the boy from Five and the two are getting along rather well. They both seem to have similar personalities but I can't really tell since I haven't met either of them. Gem also joins them. Her face has a permanent smirk plastered on it. The way she looks at her district partner is like she has something planned for him, something bad.

Dustin and Wash talk and suddenly, a Career approaches them. The red-head. She flips her hair and plants a hand on her hip. A sign of arrogance and leadership. She smiles slyly to the boy from Seven. He shakes his head and her smile immediately fades. Her face darkens as she returns to her table. That can only mean one thing Wash rejected the Career Pack.

Clara and Larkspur both come over to eat with us. Parrow asks Clara to be in our alliance, and she accepts. The thing that gets me though is that she didn't even glance at Larkspur. I think about asking the twelve year old, but it's plain to see that Parrow is our leader in this alliance.

**Gabrielle Dictatrix – District 2**

Everyone here is weak. Even my Career Pack. Conrad is an arrogant sleeze that doesn't need to be here. Anyone else from Two would have been better than him. Sorren is a softy, especially when it comes down to his sister. But, that's okay because I can use her in case Sorren doesn't do what I want.

Morgan is no Pash Cursor, that's for sure. She joined us this year, which was a smart decision. If she hadn't, she'd be first to die in the Bloodbath. Morgan can use a spear and trident. She's super-fast with her long legs to carry her. Lucien is something else. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing though. He's strong and big and fast. He's annoying though. I'll have to think of a way to shut him up.

Overall, my pack is bad. I asked the boy from Seven to join us because I saw him chucking axes straight into the target. I also noticed him pass the edible plants test. We needed him, but he rejected us. Biggest mistake of his life. He won't live to see the second day of the Hunger Games.

"What did the ocean say to the other ocean?" Lucien asks. It's another one of his jokes. He thinks he's funny, but he isn't.

"What did the ocean say?" Morgan says flatly. She runs a hand through her hair, rolling her eyes. Maybe I do like her. She'll just never be a true Career. Rumor has it she began training at the age of thirteen.

"Nothing! It just waved!" He boomed in laughter, clutching his stomach.

"Wow, too funny," Morgan says, picking at the fish on her plate.

"Do you _sea_ what I did there?" And the terrible joke continues.

"Stop that."

"Oh, come on, Morgan!" Lucien flashes one of his sexy grins. Even though he isn't funny and he is annoying, he's very attractive. "Don't be such a _beach_."

" ." Morgan looks away and talks with Sapphire. When I glance back at my competition, it turns out I don't really have any competition at all. Everyone has formed weak alliances except for the boy from Twelve, the Layland boy, and the loser girl from Five. I know for a fact that none of them will stand a chance alone.

The girl from Five is the laughingstock of all the tributes. She let a puny girl from Eight hit her in the nose. There was blood everywhere. That girl won't stand a chance in the arena. If she can't handle training, well, she's a goner. Maybe I'll play around with her though and try and push her to her limits.

Finally, lunch is over and we can get back to training. The weapons are in their place and I head over directly to the bow and arrow. I'd seen the girls from Ten and Five look at it, but they'll never get their hands on them. I string the bow and load an arrow. It sails straight for the target, hitting the human silhouette in between where the eyes should be. Dead.

I can already imagine the cannons going off. I can already smell the fresh blood. I can feel it on my hands. The adrenaline is already pumping through my veins. No one knows how much I want it. I want the victory so badly and the glory. People will call my name even fifty years from now. I'll leave my legacy. And when I arrive back home, my legacy will continue. I'll have my children compete so they can carry on the Dictatrix Legacy.

I want to have the line with the most Victors. The Capitol will love me. Praise me. Adore me.

I approach Sorren, who's still at the sword station. He's good with a sword, I'll give him that. However, he still can't beat me. The trainers won't let the two of us spar so I have to settle with a lame trainer. My uncle is better at this than these guys and he's ancient!

Sapphire saunters over to the station. She's better at a spear than a sword. She can throw at a distance and hit her target easily. She may look small, but she's got some muscle. The trainer comes at me, and I jump just in time to dodge the sword. I lunge and easily take the trainer down within a couple minutes.

I'm hardly even sweating. The Games will be a piece of cake when I get a sword. I already know I can use every weapon, but I still go around using them. Each time I hit the target dead on. When I return to the sword station, the boy from Twelve stands there, admiring the sword in the light.

"I like swords. They're easy to use if you have the strength," he says, glancing at me with his stormy gray eyes.

I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow. Where's he going with this?

"Throwing knives are handy when there's a target at a distance. But daggers are my favorite. They're easy to throw and to cut with," the boy says. "Spears are nice, but they just don't do the job that I want them to do." He glances at Sapphire throwing a spear as the girl from Six watches from a distance.

Everyone here is pathetic and weak. Everyone here will die, but me. Even this boy from Twelve, whoever he is.

"A bow and arrow is useful too, but it's like a spear. The spear and bow and arrow may or may not always hit its target." The boy grins at me. A smile like that would make anyone nervous, but not me. He grabs one of the daggers from the rack and twirls it in his fingers. "That red hair of yours makes you a target, Ms. Dictatrix."

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

Morgan doesn't really like me, but I don't really know why. Is it my jokes? I thought they were pretty good, at least that's what my friends tell me. Gabrielle gets on my nerves. Usually I'm pretty laid back, but she just sets my teeth on edge. I talked with Sorren and he's not Dictatrix's biggest fan either. The problem is, we need her. If we didn't have her, we'd have Conrad in charge and he's an arrogant git.

_Thwack!_

A spear sails through the air and into the target. Morgan stands a few feet from me, staring at her spear. She doesn't talk a lot, mainly keeping to herself or talking to Sapphire. I grin at her. "Nice throw," I compliment. She started training at the age of thirteen, so she's kind of behind on skills. I'd help her, but all she'd do is roll her eyes.

It's my turn now. I back up five feet from Morgan. Thirty feet. The spear flies, slicing through the air. _Thwack!_ Bullseye.

"Can you give me some tips for throwing a spear?" Sorren asks me.

"Sure thing, hombre. Grab one and let's get to work." I clap my hands and rub them together. I pull a spear off the rack and wait for Sorren.

He gets ready to throw one. "Lower your shoulder or you won't hit anything." When he relaxes it and throws the spear, it hits the target, but not in the center. Obviously, spears aren't his thing, unlike his sister.

"Try again. And relax more. You're too rigid. Don't lock your knees," I advise. He does what I say and hits the target, almost in the center. "Congrats, you managed to injure your prey but not yet kill it. Good luck." With a laugh, I give him a slap on the back and then throw a spear. Bullseye again.

"Whoa. Uh, thanks for the tips…" Sorren stares in awe and returns to the sword station, the only thing he really seems to be good at.

It's time for me to move on. Tridents are what I really want to work with. I'm praying there'll be one in the arena. If I get my hands on one, I'll be unstoppable. I feel at home when my fingers curl around the weapon. I used to fish with one back at home. Home will be very different when I go back. A new house. Freedom. No rules. It won't be so bad. I don't know why Pash makes a big deal out of it.

I practice with the trident, getting a feel for its weight. It's silver and heavier than the ones back at home, but I can deal with it. When I turn around, I notice the girl from Five gawking at me. According to Gabrielle, she's the laughingstock of the tributes. Even the girl from Six would last longer than her. I really had my hopes for this girl, but she's a screw-up.

"What do you want?" I ask, trying not to be rude.

She doesn't say anything at first. So, I suppose I'll make the first move. "Lucien Ritsert." Most girls would fall on their knees because of my devilishly good looks as my friends put it, but this girl seems uninterested. "And you?"

"You're from Four, right?" she says, completely ignoring my question.

"You shouldn't answer a question with a question. It sounds like you have something to hide," I tell her, leaning on the trident.

"I have nothing to hide. My name is Nayeli," she says, brushing her black hair back behind her ear. Her eyes are set on me. She's studying me more than admiring me. It's weird the way she's looking at me. "By the looks of the way you're handling that trident, I'll say you're from Four. Part of the Careers?" She already knows the answer to that.

Nayeli picks up a knife. I'd never seen her handle it, but she looks unsteady. When she throws it, it wobbles in the air and misses the target. Like I said, screw up. Maybe she'll be spared a horrible death by a quick one in the Bloodbath. In fact, maybe I'll do the honors. If Dictatrix gets a hold of her, I think her death will be a lot slower.

There'll be a lot of tributes that will fall at Dictatrix's hand. That girl is dangerous. Right now, she's speaking with the boy from Twelve, probably the second most dangerous tribute. Many other tributes seem to have already come up with their alliances. I mark down who's with whom so I can watch out for them in the arena. It's hard to wrap my head around all the groups though.

Nayeli sighs heavily, trying to throw another knife. "Gah, I just can't get it right!" she exclaims. She stomps her foot and runs a hand through her hair.

"Hey, relax," I tell her, putting an arm on her shoulder. She flinches, frowning at me. "You'll get something right. What are you doing for the Gamemakers?"

"Go back to your little posse, _Four_," she seethes before storming off. I shrug. I was only trying to help and what does she do? She replays me with a snarl. Some girl…

I rejoin my fellow Careers. Most of them have only handled weapons during training. There's one more day. I decide to devote the last hour of training today to edible plants. It's probably a stupid idea since we, Careers, will have all the food supplies from the Cornucopia. At the station, my eyes keep wandering towards Nayeli who seems to be failing at everything.

I turn back to converse with the trainer. Out of my peripheral vision, I spot Nayeli throw a knife. No one's around her and no one's watching her. Why would they? She's a screw-up.

But the knife hits the target, dead center.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorren Princeps – District 1**

Risso Lottare, our other mentor, steps into the main room on our floor. He has his hands on his hips, head up high. He makes us sit on the couch so he can lecture us. He strokes his beard that has a design shaved. It's almost like he has wings on the side of his face. Sapphire stares at him, eagerness in her eyes. It's a look I've rarely seen. The last time she had that look on her face was during the 32nd Hunger Games when one of her friends volunteered for the Games. She never made it out, but it changed Sapphire.

No one has really noticed how competitive Sapphire really can be. Even my mother doesn't see it and she's got all eyes on her favorite child. Biting my lip, I watch Risso. It's not hard to see why and how he won. He's good looking with his perfect bone structure, blue eyes, and ashy blond hair. He's big too; fast and strong.

"Now's the time to show the Gamemakers what you're made of," Risso says. "You're District One tributes, so act like District One tributes. Don't be weak and don't mess up." He's quick and straight to the point. The words are repeated in my head, from the time I rise from the couch to the time I go down to training.

Lucien talks to me a lot about throwing a javelin and gives me tips on fighting with a spear. In return, I show him how to handle a sword. He's a bit rough with it, but he can definitely be deadly if he wants to be. The situation is the same with me and javelins and spears.

Lunch comes around and I sit with the rest of the Careers. All of us have bonded since we've arrived. We talk more and tease each other. It won't last long though. After tonight, the real competition begins. We'll see who scores better than whom and then the interviews come around and we'll have to attract sponsors, which could be the difference between life and death.

Immediately after lunch, we're called into our training session with the Gamemakers. The boys of each district go first. When I saunter into the Training Center, the Gamemakers lounge around on plush seats in a seating area. The Head Gamemaker, Caccio Artefice nods to me so I can begin.

My body instinctively moves for the swords. When my fingers wrap around the hilt, adrenaline instantly surges through me, giving me power. I slice and dice my way through dummies. Then I try my hand at spears and javelins. The javelins don't hit the center each time, but I do well with the spears. The knives are pretty easy to handle. I can't help thinking though how much I want that sword in my hand in the arena. I want to win with that sword in my hand.

**Sapphire Princeps – District 1**

Fifteen minutes. That's how much time I have with the Gamemakers. That's how much time I have to prove to them that I deserve a high score. Fifteen minutes later, my brother returns, doing the stride of pride. The Gamemakers must have liked him, but we won't know what they really thought until tonight.

My name is called. One foot in front of the other. It's my time to shine. My brother and I have both lived in the shadow of my mother. It's our turn now. And when one of us returns, we'll be loved by the Capitol. I want to win and have this love. It'll be better than a mother's love. Tens of thousands times more the love than my mother will ever genuinely give me.

The Gamemakers relax in their box. Excited about the Career tributes and the food they'd ordered. I'd had lunch a little less than an hour ago. However, there's still butterflies flying around in my stomach. My hands tremble and I bit my lip. I'm not sure whether it's nerves or adrenaline.

The Training Center appears to be much larger without all the other tributes. There's more room to do things. More space I can put between me and a target when I launch a javelin. The Gamemakers will be surprised by my accuracy. Flabbergasted.

Caccio Artefice grins, nodding for me to start. My sapphire blue eyes are trained on them, making sure the Gamemakers keep watching me. I decide to save the best for last. Keep them on their toes.

First, I do sprints to show how fast I am, which is very fast. I'm pretty strong too as I lift some weights. My hands then go for the bow and arrows. I string the bow, moving quickly so I'd have time to show them my real talent. My hands tremble as I release the string. The arrow just narrowly misses the center, but that's okay. After shooting an arrow three times, only once it hits the middle.

As far as I know, I've got about five minutes left. It's time to for the finale. The metal of the javelin is cool to the touch. It's almost a comforting feel. I draw my arm back, letting the strength build up in my muscles. _Whoosh!_ The javelin glides through the air, smacking the target dead in the center.

I do this two more times. Two minutes left. It's time to show them all I've got. I fight a dummy, stabbing it in all the places that would kill a human with a spear. Quickly, I show them where I'd deliver the coup-de-grâce. As a grand finale, with a minute spare, I throw the spear. As my session ends, the spear hits the target and I can't help but smirk. The other tributes won't even see me coming. Especially not my brother.

**Pietta Carmelle – District 3**

Devon's upset at us. Chrysanta's really doesn't give a whoop. I didn't pick good allies, but there was no one else. Devon said I should have teamed up with the Careers, set up traps for them. I'd last longer that way. They'd keep me around until I was of no more use. After that, I'd run off and be out of sight and out of mind. In the end, I'd stand victorious and twenty three other tributes would go home in boxes.

Instead, my allies are Sage, Rilly, Trenton, and Max. Sage of Six can identify plants, something the rest of us can't do very well. Rilly, well, she's hopeless and needed someone to help her out. I saw her hit the girl from Five, the screw-up. Although, the District Five girl looks more capable than she appeared. Trenton is lame, barely able to walk straight. He'll die quickly, so it won't even matter. Max is an entirely different story. He's smart, but too…too…there's no word that I can pinpoint exactly. But, he's weak. I'm weak too, unable to handle weapons or run fast.

The thing is, he has everything to lose: family, friends, and a girl if he could get one. I have nothing. My parents don't care, and I never wasted my time on friends. That's the one thing that makes me different than all the tributes. I don't want the glory. I just want to go home and live in a Victor's house, away from everyone. Live a secluded life.

The boy from District Two struts into the Training Center and fifteen minutes later emerges with a proud smirk. The Dictatrix girl, who everyone seems to be talking about, enters the room. She's deadly and not to be trusted. Arrogant, big ego, and an attitude to match, it isn't hard to see what her downfall is going to be.

Maxwell's turn. He's shaking nervously. He doesn't have any special skills with weapons. As far as I know, he can start a fire, and that's about it.

My turn. My small frame is dwarfed by all the large equipment that seems even bigger without all the taller tributes. The Head Gamemaker frowns at me, nodding reluctantly. Fifteen minutes ticking down. It may not seem like a long time, but it feels like forever when you don't have a lot to do.

I head for the snares, building elaborate traps. If the arena has the right thing, I could possible electrify my trap if there's wire. Along with the snares, I build a fire, construct a shelter, and climb a fake tree semi-successfully. My hands are sore by the end.

The training session has ended. As I walk out, the next tribute is called in: the boy from Four. He grins to me and strides inside like all the other Career tributes I've seen. Tonight I'll get to see how well I did in front of the Gamemakers. Hopefully it's not too high that I'll be seen as a threat and not too low to be seen as worthless, but maybe that's what I really want.

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

Nayeli. Nayeli. Nayeli. She's a sniveling coward. And a damn good actress seeing as she has the whole Career pack fooled. When I tried to tell Gabrielle, she laughed, shoving me to the side. She thought I was trying to steal her lime light or something. It doesn't matter. In the arena, Gabrielle will see what I was trying to tell her.

"What does a sea monster eat?" I ask Morgan. She's a bit nervous, so I thought some comic relief would help her relax. She doesn't reply. "Fish and ships!" I laugh lightly, grinning.

"That one was a bad joke," Morgan says flatly.

"Still funny though, right?" I turn to Nayeli and Kage, who are sitting to my left. "You two think I'm funny, right? I've been cracking jokes all weak and Morgan here still doesn't think I'm hilarious."

"Tell us a joke," Kage says, half smirking.

"Okay. Okay," I say, my gaze set on Nayeli who has a bored expression. "Why did the military send an octopus to war?"

"Why?" Nayeli replies half-heartedly. She doesn't care obviously, but I want Morgan to see the happiness my jokes bring. Not the Nayeli, that's for sure, but to everyone else.

"Because it was well armed!"Kage laughs loudly, but Morgan and Nayeli are unfazed. Suddenly, the little girl from Three emerges from the Training Center. I crack my knuckles and Morgan cringes. She hates it when I do it. I said I would stop, but seeing her freak out every time I do it brings me great joy.

The Head Gamemaker motions for me to begin. Instantly, my hands go for the trident. I lunge, dodge, and swipe at an invisible opponent. I demonstrate great skill as I move onto a spear, since a trident will be highly unlikely to appear in the arena. Of course, a sponsor could help me out and send me one. I throw javelins too, hitting the bullseye every time. The Gamemakers are amused by my accuracy.

Lastly, I work with hastily making a net and snare. Both could catch everything. For a remainder of the time, I use a sword and go back to the spear. I even try my hand at knives, which works out pretty well. When I leave, the Gamemakers look pretty pleased with my performance.

Outside, the other tributes wait patiently. Kage high fives me as Morgan goes into the Training Center. Nayeli raises an eyebrow at me, studying me as I continue walking down the hall. I wonder what she's going to do for the Gamemakers. Will she intentionally get a low score to seem even more like a screw up?

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

Screw up. I never thought I'd like to be called that, but now, it's my favorite word. I've completely repelled the Careers. They won't be coming after me. They'll figure I'll be finished off in the Bloodbath. They're wrong. I have the skills to fight. Hand-to-hand combat, knife throwing, sword fighting. That's all I've got.

The Careers will be faster and stronger and bigger. They will have all the food from the Cornucopia. If I just get one backpack and my hand on a weapon or two, I could survive. After the Bloodbath, my main concern will be water.

"What're you gonna do for the Gamemakers, Screw-up?" Kage asks, poking me. He grins and he enjoys annoying me. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction though.

I scowl, whacking his hand away. "It's none of your damn business," I reply._ Who does he think he is? Is this how he always is or is this some sort of wall to cover up how scared he is of dying?_

"I think it is. Considering we're district partners and we're friends."

A bitter laugh escapes my throat. "We may be partners, but we're not friends. I don't need to tell you anything. Now, go!" I shove him off his seat, pushing him towards the door into the Training Center.

Fifteen minutes later, Kage exits and it's my turn. A smirk is plastered on his face as he motions me towards the Training Center. I stand slowly, rubbing my hands together. _Showtime. _A soft wind blows in my face as I enter the room.

The Gamemakers are still interested in the tributes. I'm sure that by the time the District Ten, Eleven, and Twelve tributes come in, they're really bored. Caccio, the Head Gamemaker, tells me to begin. In one moment, I wonder if I should act weak, or shock everyone with my score.

In a split second, I reach for the knives. I twirl them in my hands, throwing them from twenty feet. Every time, it hits its target. Then, I do a little climbing and knot tying. Finally, I pick up a sword. The small thin one that's easy to carry and use. I pray they'll have one in the arena.

I leap, step back, and swipe at an imaginary opponent. I stab at the dummy and slice off its head. I would show them my hand to hand combat skills, but decide not to. I'd rather use it in the arena and shock all the other tributes. My hands just know what to do. I don't even have to think about it.

**Tarragon Layland – District 6**

Sage, Trenton, Rilly, and all the other tributes don't stand a chance. I think that half of them will die in the Bloodbath. The ones that will be challenges are District Two and the guy from Four. Otherwise, they're all pathetic, weak, little cowards. Especially the girl from Five. If a puny girl from Eight can beat her up, then clearly the Five girl is weak.

There's even more rumors about other tributes. District Two girl slept with someone or someones like her escort. The boy from Nine has a pregnant girlfriend from home. The girl from Ten is a cannibal and the boy from Ten was run over a cow. There are other rumors too, but I doubt that half of them are real.

The first two tributes are in and out. In the arena they used nothing but weapons. The District Two tributes exit with pride. The tributes from Three are both small and probably didn't have anything to do. At best, they could run as fast as possible, which is probably that fast. They could also do snares, but how will that help them in the arena? One thing's for sure, they'll both die in the Bloodbath. The tributes from Four both seem capable of themselves.

My bets on the Bloodbath are simple and logical. Starting with Sage, the next few to die will be the tributes of Five, Eight, Ten, Eleven, and the girl from Nine and Twelve. It's not hard to see why they'll die.

The girl from Five goes in and seems to come out quickly. There's disappointment etched on her face. Her shoulders are slumped and she walks slowly. As quickly as she left, I go into the training Center. The Gamemakers are in their area, stuffing their faces.

My father had trained me a little, but I never really cared about it. He showed me how to use a sword and that's about it. I learned a little about plants and insects, but I've never gone out and used those skills.

The Head Gamemaker, Caccio, sighs and waves me on to begin. Then, he turns back to his fellow Gamemakers and chats with them. I take the test for edible plants and animals, passing, but not with flying colors. Next, its wrestling. I can take down another tribute easily. Especially since a lot of them are small.

Lastly, I go for a sword. A large broad one that's heavy. I swing, giving the dummy a fatal gash, stabbing it in the chest, and beheading it. The Gamemakers look over at me occasionally, but not very closely. I wonder what score I'll get. I'm sure it'll blow the other tributes away.

Fifteen minutes are up and I leave. Sage bounces in her seat, watching me as I leave. I smirk, winking at her. I think my bets on who will die are pretty accurate. We'll see after tomorrow. Let the Games begin.

**Wash Hayner – District 7**

My brother wouldn't want me to kill, but I know he wants me to come home more than anything. I've got two choices once I enter the arena. Live and kill, or die. It's not that hard of a decision. At least, it shouldn't be. I would rather die clean than live a murderer.

Dustin has a girlfriend. Maybe he understands the situation I'm in. His girlfriend wouldn't want him to kill. Of course, she'd want him to live and living meant killing. No one ever really wins the Hunger Games. I've heard that a thousand times before, and now I'm really understanding what they meant.

There's something else though, that Victors leave out. They leave out the fact that the Games corrupt. Even the kindest of souls could go insane with bloodlust. The Game messes with your head, tricking you and manipulating you. People change. Sometimes it takes a long time for people to change, but sometimes, it takes a split second for someone to go mad.

Usually, our tributes die in the Bloodbath, but not this year. Clara and I both have good allies and we both have skills that we need to survive. Before the Training Sessions with the Gamemakers, Dustin assures me that I'll do well.

He slaps me on the back, smiling warmly. "You'll do fine, Wash. Clara and I both think you'll do great in front of the Gamemakers. They'd have to be mental if they don't give you something higher than a nine."

"Thanks, man. Same for you," I reply. I shake his hand and we sit by our partners.

"What are you going to do for them?" Clara asks me. She brushes her hair behind her ear, gnawing at her lip. Her eyes shine brightly under the lights. I wonder how they'll shine under the moonlight in the arena. Will they be scared or fierce?

Before I can answer, I'm called into the Training Center. Clara whispers good luck to me and Dustin gives me two thumbs up. I take a deep breath, walking into the Training Center. Besides the Gamemakers, it feels so empty and big. My footsteps seem to echo as I head for the center.

Caccio doesn't even look at me as he waves me on. I head straight for the axes. No one else touches them except from District Seven tributes. Everyone else goes for the swords, bows and arrows, knives, and spears. I use the axe on a dummy, grimacing as I take the head off. Then, I throw the axe. It smacks into the target, making me wince again as I imagine the target as a person.

As I take the edible plants test, I can't get the thought out of my head. If I kill, will I like it or will I go insane? Will the Games corrupt me?

**Ector Cabot – District 12**

I move my arm around Lark, pulling her close to me. I grin, shaking her. "This is our moment to shine, Larkie!" She tries to wiggle away from me, but can't. I hug her like a teddy bear, wrapping my arms around her throat. I'm not choking her, but she begins breathing heavily.

"Please, get off of me, Ector," Lark asks, trying to be a sweet, little girl.

"Don't you want to know how much I like you?" She attempts to shake her head, but can't from my grip. "In fact, I love you so much that I'll spare you from a terrible death from the Careers. So! I'll formulate a plan where I kill you in the Bloodbath. Then, you won't have to face a terrible death at the hand of the snarky red-head. Problem solved." I let her go, spinning her around to face me. Lark look down at the ground, hiding the tears falling down her face.

_Weakling._

Finally, it's my turn. I jump gleefully, licking my lips. "See you, Larkie," I say, grinning and winking. She cringes away from me and a bitter laugh leaps from my throat. I strut into the Training Center. It's empty and now I can unleash my true potential. The other tributes won't know what I did for them.

By now, the Gamemakers are lethargic. Bored. Stupid. I head for the weapons rack, picking them carefully. I take a sword down and some knives and daggers. First, I throw a couple of knives, but the Gamemakers are oblivious.

_Show them. Do what you do best. Kill them._ Of course, I can't kill them, but I can show them how I'd kill them. There's stairs that lead up to the Gamemakers box. Dagger in hand, I leap up the stairs, two at a time. The Head Gamemaker frowns at me.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to show you something very interesting," I say. I step behind one and casually set an arm over his shoulder. I pull out the knife and the other Gamemakers move towards me. I hold up a finger, clicking my tongue. "Hold on. Let me finish my lesson."

I grin and they back up. The one I'm holding onto actually shudders, and I let out a low chuckle. "So, my mother used to be a doctor. And she taught me all the parts of a human body. The weak points, pressure points, joints, veins….the basics really. But, I got interested and studied a little further. Got my hand on a knife and tested it out. Well, I wanted to see if you could die if this one artery was cut. Of course my mother knew the answer, but I didn't listen to her.

"My mother and I both found out that if you cut that artery, you would die. Following that, I did more experiments, on animals, not real people. My mother never did. Instead, she was in a box in the ground." The story may or may not be true, but the Gamemakers don't know that. I wonder if they think it's true. Part of it's true. I did learn the weak points of the body and veins and more. I had the scars to prove it. "Want to know how I kill an animal?"

I jump for another Gamemaker. I get a hold of him before he can get out of the way. "Step one. I stab the victim, oh, sorry, I mean prey," I say, "in the stomach. The abdomen if you will." I gently press the knife at the man's stomach. I'm surprised the Head Gamemaker hasn't kicked me out yet, but by the way he looks at me, I think he's interested.

"It's a rather slow death. So, step two is cutting the throat. If you cut along the carotid artery, you die within seconds. It's taken me tons of tries to hit the right artery. You may even sever the jugular. More blood," I tell them, carefully the dagger across the man's neck. He whimpers softly. I'm sure he's got kids to go home too. Maybe a wife. I wonder how they feel with him creating a Game that forces kids to kill other kids.

I'm cautious so I don't actually cut the Gamemaker. Instead, I carry on. "Then, it's time to gut the animal. You have to hack at the animal, skin it, scrape all the meat off the bones. Remove the organs too. That's really important. It's a good idea to cover the prey's eyes too. I mean really, how creepy would it be to see two dead eyes staring at you?"

"Why are you here?" Caccio asks me. He raises an eyebrow.

The question intrigues me. I release the Gamemaker, who sighs heavily, scrambling towards the other side of the box, away from me. "Why am I here? Well, one, I was reaped. But, honestly, I can't wait to get into the arena."

"I mean why are you up in here? This box is private." He crosses his arms across his chest.

"Obviously you don't do a very good job at keeping other people out. I'm _in_ here because you lazy sloths won't watch me demonstrate what I'm capable of. Anyways, you probably want to know why no one volunteered for a poor soul like me. Right?" I laugh. "It's because the people of District Twelve know what I want."

"And what do you want?"

"I want to feel…" I hold my hands out in front of me, the dagger in the right one. "I've always wanted to feel a real person's heart in my hands. I want to feel it pump until it gives out. I want to feel blood in my hands. I want the warm liquid flowing through my fingers. You get that feeling, don't you? Wait, you never get dirty. Never mind. Let me continue."

"I think that's enough," Caccio says, holding his hand up. "Leave now."

I smile maliciously, jumping down the stairs. I walk out with glee and send Larkspur in. This will be the greatest Game ever.


	19. Chapter 19

**Tarragon Layland – District 6**

My father being our mentor isn't the best thing in the world. At home, he's pretty distant, but when he's not he can be a little harsh. Soon, I'll be living in my own home in the Victors' Village. I won't have to be with him anymore. Freedom.

Vecturia bounds into the room, her high heels clicking. She's chattering with our stylists as she sits on the couch. She picks up a drink in one hand, smoothing the creases in her skirt with the other. As I finish my dinner, an Avox clears the table. My father sighs, leaving the table to join Vecturia and everyone else.

Sage hops off her seat, twirling her pigtails in one hand. It takes me about two steps to catch up with her.

"Ready to see our scores, Squirt?" I ask, wrapping an arm around her.

She smiles at me, shrugging. "I suppose so. I'm just a little nervous. And you?"

"You should be nervous. I bet everyone else got a higher score than you," I say. I know I did well in my training session with the Gamemakers. I gave it all I had. "Even the Screw-Up will score higher than you." I laugh sarcastically. The screw up of this year's Hunger Games is District Five's Nayeli Morte. Apparently, a couple years ago her brother was in the Games. He was much more skilled than she was.

"I wouldn't count myself out just yet," Sage says strongly.

Ever since Training, Sage has appeared to be tougher. She's stopped crying in her sleep ever since the second day when she got her allies. She smiles sweetly, skipping to the living room area.

I collapse next to my stylist and Vecturia. The television isn't on yet, but everyone talks about the chariot rides that were a few days ago. They weren't anything special and I hated my outfit. Every year, the costumes are silly. There may be a couple of tributes with good outfits, but that's rare.

"So, I think that the tributes from Two are the biggest threats, as usual," my father says gruffly. "Just about every year those damn Careers win."

"I think the girl from One has a pretty good chance," Vecturia says.

I don't understand how they can talk about who has a chance with us sitting right here. It really lowers the little self-esteem I have. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," I tell them.

"No problem!" my stylist chimes in.

Obviously, she doesn't understand sarcasm. On the inside, I can't help but laugh a little. Suddenly, the television screen comes to life. Artu Regelo laughs as he sits at his anchorman desk with Hunger Games commentator, Fia Zione. Her tomato red hair is in a high bun with braids all around. Artu is dressed in bright yellow this year.

"Hello! Hello!" he says cheerfully.

I lean back in my seat and scoff. He's always so happy. He's the perfect ray of sunshine, isn't he?

"This year we have an interesting handful of tributes, don't we, Fia?" Artu says. He grins to her, then back at the camera.

"Yes, that is very true, Artu," Fia adds. "I think there are a lot of potential Victors this year. I'm not very sure who will be the Victor this year though."

"Well, let's see. Over the last few days, the tributes have been training and had their private training sessions with the Gamemakers. Tonight, we're going to see what the tributes scored. Are you ready?"

Fia grins, nodding. "I think all of Panem is ready to see this."

I close my eyes for a while as the two Capitolites continue conversing. Finally, the dramatic music sounds and the scores begin to appear. It begins with District One. The guy flashes across the screen first. Sorren Princeps is awarded a nine next to his sister.

District Two gets high scores too. The guy gets a ten and the girl earns an eleven. It's been a while since anyone's earned higher than a ten and no one has ever earned a twelve. The nerds from Three receive a five and six. The tributes from Four receive high scores as do most Careers. The boy a ten and the girl an eight.

What surprises me greatly is Screw-Up's score. I gaze at her tribute picture and gawk at her score. How she pulled a ten I'll never know. I suppose the Gamemakers wanted her to become a target and gave her a high score. She'll be hunted by the Careers if she's not killed in the Bloodbath.

My district is next. "A seven! Look at that," Artu says, shocked. "A son of a Victor earned a good score."

"I'll say. And look at his partner! A six. I wonder how she was able to pull that off," Fia says.

The scores don't matter I decide. What matters is not dying in the arena.

**Rilly Jarson – District 8**

I run a hand through my hair, which stops short, just above my shoulders. I always forget that the stylists chopped most of my hair off. It's a constant reminder that I'm not home. I want to be home so badly. I miss Lyssa, my mom, and Benson. I even miss Pan a little.

My hand gently touches my cheek where he kissed me. With a soft sigh, I sit down next to Corduroy on the couch. Tellia touches my hair, babbling on about how pretty it is. Then, she turns to my stylist, telling him that he'd have to design some of her clothes.

I brush her hand away and turn to Corduroy, who's waiting impatiently for our scores. He bounces anxiously in his seat. "You okay?" I ask.

"Do you really have to ask?" he replies. "I feel nervous." He sighs softly, grabbing something to drink. He un-tucks his shirt as he falls back down on the soft couch.

"Don't be. I'm sure you did great," I tell him. I smile halfway and glance at our mentor, Vinny. "Right? He did great."

"Uh-huh, sure," Vinny says, looking at the blank TV screen.

"It'd be nice if you actually showed some support," I say, folding my arms across my chest. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Okay. Well, Rilly, you're downright awesome." He gives a sardonic thumbs up. "And Corduroy, you did awesome, too." He smirks and turns back to Vecturia to talk about irrelevant things.

I scoff and turn my head away. "Don't listen to him," I tell Corduroy.

Panem's anthem sounds through the speakers and Artu Regelo is on screen with Fia Zione. They have pointless commentary at first. Then, the interesting part comes up. The scores. Corduroy instantly perks up, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"I think all of Panem is ready to see this," Fia says, grinning.

The Careers get high scores as usual. My eyes open wide when I realize Nayeli received a ten. Many people said that she was a screw up, but I know she's smarter and stronger than they realize. I wanted to be her ally, but she said she'd rather work alone.

The boy from Six, who is the son of a Victor, scores pretty well. A seven. Sage pulls a six. She's good with plants. She probably passed the edible plants test with flying colors. She's small so she'll be stealthy in the arena, especially if the arena has a lot of shrubbery to cover her.

"Can you believe that! Sage earned a six," Fia says. "And Tarragon did well, too."

The tributes from Seven are next. They score well, pulling an eight and seven. Next, it's the moment of truth. Corduroy moans when he sees his score, a three. I smile a little once I realize my score is a five. I find it to be a good score. If you're not a Career, then you usually score in the middle range, about a four to a seven.

I've got good allies. Pietta can make traps. Sage can help us find food. Trenton knows how to make shelter and start a fire. I stand a chance. I can do this. I could make it home to my friends and family. I could make it on time for my date with Pan. I could become District Eight's next Victor.

I'd say something to Corduroy to cheer him up, but I don't think it'll make things any better. I could make him feel even worse.

I sit on the edge of my seat now, watching the other tributes and their scores. The boy from Nine, Dustin, scores a nine, a high score for his district. I wonder what the girl from Ten did to deserve her seven. The tributes of Eleven have okay scores. They're not high enough to call threats.

"I think that Bailey boy is good news," Fia tells us. "And his partner is quite pretty. Maybe she can use her feminine charms in the arena." Artu pushes her playfully, chortling. Fia bats her eyelashes as the scores continue rolling across.

The boy from Twelve is a different story. Creepy Cabot is what the other tributes call him. When he grins, flowers die and animals hide. My skin crawls every time I see him. He earns a seven, and I immediately call him a threat. He's the number two person to stay away from. Number one is still the red head, Gabrielle.

Both are people I don't want to run into in the arena.

"A three. A three…I got a three," Corduroy mumbles. He puts his face in his hands and sighs. "I'm going to go to bed." Before the Games, he seemed much happier and even a little sarcastic. I suppose the reality of the Games and facing eminent death is making him depressed.

Tomorrow, we have the interviews. We have to continue some training to win over people. Sponsors can mean the different between life and death. I have to get as many sponsors as I can. If I can get a bunch of sponsors to send me things, I could survive.

Home. It's so close now and yet so far away.

**Parrow Hosira – District 10**

I have two allies, Bailey from Eleven and Clara from Seven. The slingshot shooter and the axe wielder. I'm not sure how long the alliance will last, but hopefully we'll break just before the final eight. I don't want to end up getting close to them and then have to watch them die.

When Larkspur approached us at lunch the other day, I'd asked Clara to join us, but didn't ask her. Honestly, I regret nothing. Lark is small and not very fast. She'd hold us back and at the Bloodbath, we won't have time to wait for her. Bailey and Clara didn't think of asking her to join either. I'm the leader of our alliance.

My mind wanders back to home where Fleese is, probably thinking about all the wedding decisions she's got to make. Without me. She deserves to live though. I gave her that chance. She's safe and will get to marry the love of her life. All I can do is pray that I'll get to find my soul mate, if there's such a thing.

In a book, I read that everyone has one soul mate. They're linked together by a single, silver thread. And when you meet that person, you just know they're the one. I'm not sure if I'll know, but by the way Fleese describes it, it sounds pretty great.

Lana tromps into the room, bickering with Mabilis again. They're always arguing about stupid little things. "I'm just saying, you really need to—" Lana cuts Mabilis off and begins going off about Artu and how "dapper" he looks.

"Ah, they're fighting again," Trenton says, limping into the room. Because of his leg, he's louder when he walks. You could hear him fifty feet away. In the Games, he's dead. I don't want or like to think about it, but it's the truth. That's why I didn't ask him to join my alliance. He doesn't stand much of a chance. I pray he has good allies though.

"Why do you care about Artu? He's never going to go after a thing like you," Mabilis retorts.

Lana gasps. "Excuse me! I happen to be a person! A real person! And one day—"

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? I couldn't tell if you were humanoid or a seaweed monster this morning," Mabilis says, laughing to herself.

I can't help but chuckle a little as I study Lana's outfit. She's wearing a light green wig that falls down her shoulders and has a dark green outfit on. There's times that I actually prefer District Ten. I get to miss out on all the "lovely" outfits and food. The food is great once you get over its odd appearance.

"Like clockwork," I tell Trenton. He laughs as the two continue their fighting. "I'm surprised they're not related. They sound like sisters." Fleese and I used to bicker when we were younger. But, as I got older and our situation at home grew more difficult, we finally understood each other.

"My brother and I argue like that," Trenton says with a laugh. "Funny to know that two middle aged women can act like such children."

"I am not middle aged!" Lana snaps, turning her bright turquoise eyes on him. "I am a young adult."

"I'll believe that when you take off all that make up and we get to see how you really look," he says. We glance at each other, laughing. Then I think, if I want to live, he'll have to die. I wish it wasn't like that, but it is.

Lana is about to return the favor when Mabilis turns on the TV. "How about we all shut up now and watch the scores?" she says. "Oh, look, your 'boyfriend' is on. Looks like he's flirting with Fia. Again."

Lana scoffs, rolling her eyes. I lean towards the television, biting my lip. A coppery liquid fills my mouth and I realize how hard I've been chomping on my lip. "This year we have an interesting handful of tributes, don't we, Fia?" Artu says, grinning. I nod slightly, agreeing with him. We have the Preppy Princeps, Dictating Dictatrix, Lame-Jokes Lucien, No-Good Nayeli, and many other names, ending with Creepy Cabot from Twelve. It's funny hearing all the nicknames for all the tributes. Trenton is Tripping Trenton or something like that and mine is Petty Parrow. I don't really mind the name because it doesn't be crap in the arena.

The scores begin rolling across the stage. Clara has a seven, a good score seeing she comes from District Seven where they traditionally don't have that high of a score. My stylist cheers as she sees my score, a seven as well. I sigh in relief and smile a little. Climbing and taking the edible plants test did have a good effect on the Gamemakers after all.

Tears fall down Trenton's face. He got a three, a pretty low score. We're graded on a scale of one to twelve, one being the worst and twelve being the best. Many tributes score in the middle, making me average. Higher districts score higher on the scale since they train for a longer about of time.

I hug Trenton as he sobs into my shoulder. I try telling him everything's okay, but he and I both know that he's a goner.

**Larkspur Fisole – District 12**

Ector is now Creepy Cabot according to all the other tributes. I'm First-to-Die Fisole as Gabrielle Dictatrix calls me. She laughs whenever she sees me and so do all of the other Careers. Even the boy from One who actually seems nice. Apparently I'm wrong.

My allies will protect me hopefully. I'll be home in no time I tell myself. I joined the group with Pietta, Sage, and Rilly. And Trenton. We can still do this. Ector keeps telling me I'll die and that he's going to kill me, but he won't. During the Bloodbath, I'm just going to run. My allies and I will meet up after the fighting. Ector won't get a chance to kill me. No one will kill me. I'll be home soon.

"So, what did you do for the Gamemakers?" Nessie asks in an up-beat attitude.

She glances at Ector. His lips curl into a smile and he shrugs. "Nothing really. Just did some handy work with a knife. What about you, Larkie?" He gazes at me, mischief twinkling in his eyes.

"I just did a little bit with gathering and climbing." I look down at my feet. "I think I did okay."

"I'm sure you did absolutely wonderful," Nessie says, looking somewhere else.

Our mentor, Ardor Frassino, dumps himself in a chair across from us. "I hope you two kiddies are playing nice," he says, laughing.

"Oh, we're playing nice," Ector replies. "Me and all my friends just love Larkie." Friends? What does he mean? Then, I recall Ector talking to people at night. People that don't exist. He would have conversations during half the night. Most of the time, I can't understand what he's saying, but the way his tone is, it scares me.

I shudder, sinking back into the soft cushions. "It's so good to know the tributes this year are so tight knit," Nessie says as she starts to hum to herself. "I hope the scores come on soon. I'm just so excited for this year!" She giggles and calls an Avox to fetch a drink.

A few minutes later, the TV roars with Panem's anthem. Artu Regelo laughs with his partner, Fia. "Hello! Hello!" He cheers and I can imagine every Capitolite cheering with him. "This year we have an interesting handful of tributes, don't we, Fia?"

They go back and forth for a while. Finally, the scores come up. Ector smiles as he waits for his score. We're in District Twelve, so we're last. The tributes from One both score nines. The tributes from Two receive a ten and an eleven, exceptionally high scores, especially the girl. She scares me just as much as Ector. District Four also scores high.

"Wow! Look at those scores. Especially Gabrielle's," Artu says. Fia nods her head in agreement, adding extra comments.

The other tributes score in between. Average scores. A few score sevens and eights. The girl from Five even pulls a ten, a score to match the boy from Four. I look to see what my allies get. Pietta scores a five, Sage scores a six, and Rilly scores a five. I sigh, slightly relieved. My allies scored well.

"Have they ever given a tribute a zero?" I ask.

Ardor shrugs. "I've never seen it. I don't think the Gamemakers ever want to give a tribute a zero. No one's ever gotten a twelve either. A few might have gotten ones."

"This is all so exciting! Did you see that score from the girl from Five? I've never seen such a high score from a lower district. Have you?" Fia says. Artu laughs, shaking his head no. "Well, let's move onto the even lower districts."

District Twelve swoops across the screen. Ector's up first.

"Let's see!" Artu says. He glances at his paper. "Ector Cabot from District Twelve receives a…oh! A seven!" Ector smiles as our stylists cheer. Nessie puts in a little comment and Ardor pats him on the back. "Next, we have little Larkspur Fisole. She's got a two. I wish you the best of luck little Larkspur."

My hands go numb. Everything starts to spin. My forehead has a thin layer of sweat. "Don't take the scoring to heart," Ardor says.

"Yeah, don't take it to heart, Larkie," Ector says. "Not that you'll have a heart for long."

Tears are threatening to burst. My lip quivers. I dig my nails into my palm, telling myself not to cry. I can't cry. Not here. Not now. Not with Ector here.

"Well, there you have it! The tributes of the 35th Hunger Games. Stay tuned for the interviews tomorrow night!" Artu says, waving to the camera.

"Good night, Panem!" Fia adds.

"Good night, Larkie," Ector says, laughing maliciously. He shoves his hands in his pockets and saunters out the room. "See you tomorrow, First-to-Die Fisole." His laugh echoes down the hallway.

Finally, I can't hold it anymore. I scramble off the couch, running for the elevator. Tears stream down my face. I sniffle, wiping them away in the elevator. My shoulders quake and I lean against the wall. In a few seconds, I'm on the roof. Besides the people downstairs cheering as they watch a recap of the scores, all I hear are my sobs. My heart pounds inside my chest. I sit on the floor and can't help but think _I'm going to die._

**The Scores**

**District 1:**

Sorrenson "Sorren" Princeps – 9

Sapphire Princeps – 9

**District 2:**

Conrad Avtlift – 10

Gabrielle Dictatrix – 11

**District 3:**

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – 6

Pietta Carmelle – 5

**District 4:**

Lucien Ritsert – 10

Morgan Colliet – 8

**District 5:**

Kage Hatenn – 5

Nayeli Morte – 10

**District 6:**

Tarragon Layland – 7

Sage Freedan – 6

**District 7:**

Washington "Wash" Hayner – 8

Clara Lignum – 7

**District 8:**

Corduroy Dowlas – 3

Rilly Jarson – 5

**District 9:**

Dustin Proelia – 9

Geminus "Gem" Minx – 6

**District 10:**

Trenton Cedar – 3

Parrow Hosira – 7

**District 11:**

Bailey Fera – 6

Maize Koranon – 4

**District 12:**

Ector Cabot – 7

Larkspur Fisole – 2


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Here are the Interviews. This chapter is kind of long since it's a double and extended chapter. I'm sorry if it's long and kind of bland. It took me a long time to write. Anywho, one more chapter before the Games begin!  
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><p><strong>Sapphire Princeps – District 1<strong>

Sorren takes my hand and squeezes it. Risso and Beatrix speak to us quickly about what's going to happen. It's the interviews, also known as the last night in the Capitol. Tomorrow, we will enter the arena. I give Sorren's hand a quick squeeze before letting it go.

"Sorren, remember, you're going for a strong, yet charming angle," Risso tells my brother. He drags him to the side to give him some more coaching and advice.

"And you're going for the flirty type," Beatrix says. She nods towards me, then sends me towards my stylist. He fixes my dress and pulls my hair back. My prep team added little fishtail braids here and there. My stylist fit me in a cute, little blue dress spotted with sapphires. He said it would bring out my eyes, which are slightly darker than my dress.

Butterflies flutter in my stomach. Never before have I been this nervous. I suppose now I'm just really nervous because this is being broadcast throughout the Capitol and throughout the entire country. My mom will see this. She expects me to come home. She doesn't want my brother to come home though. I have to come home. Even if it means my brother can't.

Artu Regelo's theme song comes on and he greets the live audience. He laughs loudly and waves. "Welcome! This year is definitely interesting, isn't it! Are you excited about meeting the tributes for this year?" The crowd roars. "Well! Let's bring them out! From District One, let's see if her eyes really are as blue as sapphires. Let's give a round of applause for Sapphire Princeps!"

Suddenly, I can't move. Beatrix shoves me towards the stairs and a stage person guides me up them. I step onto the stage and wave. Screams flood my ears as I twirl around. I plop down into the chair next to Artu.

"Sapphire! That is an absolutely stunning dress. It really brings out your eyes," Artu says, winking.

"Thank you so much," I say to him. "I'm so glad to be here!"

"I hope so. And that was quite an entrance at the Tribute Parade," he says. "What did your stylist think when he put you in that stunning outfit?"

"I was thinking I'd look very shiny," I tell him. Then I think, I'm not at all being flirty. So, I bat my eyelashes at him and cross my legs.

"Tell me, what do you think about your brother being in the Games?"

"Oh, it's so exciting!" I tell him with a smile. I glance at the Capitolites and wave, giggling a little. I only have to endure this torture for three minutes. I lean closer to Artu.

Artu laughs. "Talk about your sibling rivalry!"

"I know, right?" More giggles. "I'm so ready for these Games to begin. And I hope the arena is hot so Lucien can take off his shirt." I don't even know what I'm saying. "Oops. Didn't mean to let that slip."

"Wow, Sapphire! Does someone have a little crush?"

"Maybe a small one," I tell him, chuckling.

"Well, our time is almost up. I wish you lots of luck during the Games. I hope to see you soon, Sapphire!" Artu says, waving. "Another round of applause for Miss Princeps!" I twirl around some more as I step off the stage confidently. "Now, let's meet her handsome brother, Sorrenson Princeps!"

My brother smiles to me as he climbs the stairs and into the stage lights. I watch the screen as he waves to the crowd. I glance back at all the other tributes, then to my brother again. "Hello, Artu. Thanks for having me! And please, call me Sorren."

"It's a pleasure having you here, Sorren," Artu says. He smiles widely as he asks Sorren to sit. My brother talks, winking at the crowd, which makes girls scream like crazy. He sounds confident like he could actually win in the Games. I wonder if he remembers that I'm supposed to win.

**Pietta Carmelle – District 3**

Gabrielle Dictatrix strides across the stage in her dark red dress. "Hello, hello, Artu," she says, grinning to the crowd. She holds the edge of her long dress and spins around.

"Wow, aren't you just magnificent looking! And that dress is almost as red as your hair," Artu says. His hair is as yellow as a lemon. "Did your stylist—"

"Want to know why my dress is red?" She raises an eyebrow. Artu nods and the crowd yells a yes. "At first it was going to be orange, but I did a little…persuading and my stylist changed it to red. The red stands for the passion I have for my district and for the blood that's going to be shed during the Bloodbath." She kind of smirks to the crowd.

"I love that you gave it a deeper meaning. Now, tell me, how were you able to pull an _eleven_?" he asks.

"I'm glad you asked that…"

I glance at the other tributes. Maxwell has his hands shoved in the pockets of his purple and yellow suit. I'm in a little silver dress. Behind me, some people appear bored and others seem amused. The boy from Four is cracking jokes to his partner who keeps a straight face. I can't help but giggle at a couple, but then I turn away. No. Don't let emotions get involved. Even if it's just a couple of jokes. Letting my emotions get in the way could screw me up in the Games.

The boy from Two, Conrad, jogs up the stairs and whoops. "Hey-o, Cap-i-tolites!" He yells again, throwing his hands in the air.

"What an entrance," Artu says, roaring in laughter.

Conrad bows, smirking and sits down. Artu begins the interview, three minutes on the clock. He answers loudly and confidently. He lounges arrogantly in his seat. "Well, let's see. What about your score? A ten! Do you think your chances of winning are high?" Artu asks, leaning towards the arrogant git.

Conrad doesn't even have to think about it. "Yes. Absolutely. I'm very prepared." He grins widely.

Gabrielle crosses her arms in front of me and snorts. "Fat chance," she mutters.

Conrad continues his interview as I fidget with the hem of my dress. "Alright! It's been a pleasure having you! Let's say goodbye to Conrad." He lifts the tribute's arm above his head and the boy gives a final whoo before hopping off the stage. He smirks at Gabrielle and struts past her. "Time for the District Three tributes! She may be small, but she's super amazing. Let's give it up for Pietta Carmelle!"

With a deep breath, I climb up the stairs. The lights are blinding and the sounds are overwhelming. My head feels dizzy as I fall into the chair. Artu's mouth moves, but I don't know what he's saying.

"What?" I say numbly.

"I said, how is it in District Three?" Artu repeats.

"O—Okay, I suppose," I reply. I stare down at my feet, completely forgetting what my mentor told me to do.

"Tell me, what do you think about this year's Hunger Games? Are the odds in your favor?"

"Well, I—I, uh, yeah…" I stutter. "I guess so. I mean…to be honest it's just about not dying. Obviously. But, I, um…the Hunger Games…do you think it's just a euphemism for a mass murder? Of—Of course a mass murder is killing four or more people in one location. So I guess that's what the Bloodbath is. Then, there's a spree killer, which is what most of us turn into. Killing two or more in more than one location. Would different places in the arena count as different locations? You have to think though, would we be serial killers instead of spree killers? Probably not though since a serial killer plans each murder carefully and selects their victims.

"Now, if you think about it even more….serial killers generally have a sociopath's personality whereas mass murders and spree kills have psychosis. I'm just saying," I tell Artu. I shrug my shoulders, not even realizing how much time has gone by. I must have about a minute left.

Artu shakes his head. "That was interesting. Thanks for…telling us that," he says. "Do you…have a special person at home?"

"Y—no." I bite my lip. "I just live at home with my parents."

"You're very interesting, Pietta," he says. "And what a lovely dress you have on."

"Yeah, I guess it's nice for District Three tributes," I say, glancing down at my dress.

"That's all the time we have. Let's bring up your district partner now. Good luck, Miss Carmelle," Artu says. He waves to me as I walk off the stairs. I pass all the other tributes and sit on the couch, combing my fingers through my frizzy hair. "Here's Maxwell Hoover Demonico!"

**Kage Hatenn – District 5**

The boy from Three is awkward on the stage. He fiddles with the sleeve of his blazer. He talks about his inventions and what he likes to do in his free time. He sounds like a total dork. He stutters occasionally, but he's not nearly as bad as his pathetic partner. When Pietta was on stage, she looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"What is your favorite invention that you've made?" Artu asks.

"My friend, Puckee, and I made a little device that makes music. It's really cool." Maxwell speaks quickly, grinning awkwardly.

"Wow! Maybe, when you win this thing, you can come to the Capitol and make some technology for us. The future tributes would have the honor of using your inventions," Artu says, shifting in his seat. "That's all the time we have. Good luck, Maxwell."

Maxwell bows and scampers off the stage. I cross my arms and watch the District Four walk across the stage. She's dressed in a light, lavender dress that falls just a little past her knees. She smiles and fixes the sea shell in her hair. "Miss Morgan! You look very happy tonight," Artu says. "Are you enjoying your time in the Capitol?"

"Oh, yes, it's absolutely delightful," Morgan says. She looks to the side dreamily. "The food is amazing and the fashion here is stunning! I wish I could come here all the time!"

"If you win, you can come here all you'd like," Artu replies, laughing loudly. "Tell me, do you have a strategy for the Games this year? And what do you think of this year's competition?"

"My strategy? I don't want to reveal all my secrets before the Games," Morgan giggles. "But my strategy will work! And I think this year's tributes are all strong and stand a chance." A couple of minutes later, the interview ends.

Lucien crosses the stage, booming with laughter. As soon as he sits down, he cracks a joke with Artu, sending the crowd into fits of cheers. I nudge Nayeli and smirk. "There's your boyfriend on the stage," I snicker.

She scowls at me. "He's not my boyfriend," she snorts.

"I sense some denial. I've seen you staring at him a bunch. Is it his devilishly good looks?" I raise an eyebrow and she pushes me against the wall and stomps on my foot with her high heels. I wince, glaring at her. Some stage security glances over at us, but doesn't do anything since Nayeli continues standing innocently.

"Piss off," she mutters, turning away.

I narrow my eyes at her. She may have gotten a ten in training, but I can see through her façade. She faked it. Nayeli acted weak and everyone thinks she's a screw up. They're fools. Of course, they'll never know she was acting since I'm going to kill her first. I mentally snicker at the thought.

"Okay! Lucien, tell us one last joke before you have to go," Artu says, chortling.

Lucien lets out a hoot of laughter. "What hobby does a shark like best?"

"I don't know. What?"

"Anything he can sink his teeth into!" Lucien tells everyone. Capitolites laugh loudly and obnoxiously. Many girls scream Lucien's name, completely fan-girling over him.

Artu holds his stomach and tries to control his fits of laughter. "That was certainly amusing! I'll have to remember that one. Thank you for that, Lucien." Lucien yells out to the crowd, but it's hard to tell what he said.

Nayeli then heads up the stairs. She smiles and waves to the crowd. Her midnight blue gown that has feathers attached takes the crowd's breath away. She holds her head up high and shakes hands with Artu. "That is a lovely dress. Please, tell me, what was the inspiration?" Artu asks.

Her smile grows, almost turning into a smirk. "You'll have to ask my stylist about the really deep truth, Artu, but we wanted to stick with me being as free as a bird."

"Well, during the Tribute Parade, you were dressed in a black outfit with lightning. What did that mean?"

"I'm from District Five, and we're energy and power. What better way is there to show energy other than lightning?"

"Here's a more important question. Why did you volunteer? Was it because of your brother?"

Suddenly, she freezes. It's like she realizes that the seat she's sitting in was where her brother sat before he went to the Games. I smirk, noticing that it's a weak spot for her.

"I wanted to be like my brother because he was brave and courageous. He should have won that year, but instead a tribute from Two killed him. In these Games, I will make them pay," Nayeli says darkly.

Her three minutes pass by quickly. Then, it's my time to shine. I jump up the stairs, instantly flooded with cheers and the blaring lights. I grin as if I'd already won. These Games will be a piece of cake.

**Clara Lignum – District 7**

Tarragon acts like an arrogant jack-wagon during his interview. I'm not surprised when only a few people cheer for him. He's not amusing and he's not funny.

"How do you feel about your father being a Victor and your mentor?" Artu asks Tarragon. He leans towards the boy, raising a yellow eyebrow.

Tarragon smirks, lounging in his seat. "I think my father is a bad mentor. All he does is yell meaningless crap." His father probably told him to act like a jerk during the interviews. If he thinks he's attracting sponsors, he's not getting any.

His district partner, on the other hand, is downright adorable. Sage is in a cute, little pixie princess dress in pink. She giggles a lot and I can't help but wish she didn't have to die. Her red hair is decorated with a tiara and curly.

"What do you like to do in your free time?" Artu asks Sage.

She smiles and plays with her hair, twirling it around and around. "I love to sing."

"So you think you could sing a song for us?"

She blushes and shrugs. The crowd begs, trying to get her to sing. Finally, she gives in and sings a verse of a song. Even I can't help but clap when she finishes. She curtsies and falls back down into the seat.

"That was absolutely outstanding," Artu tells the little girl. "I wish you a lot of luck, Sage."

Wash glances at me. "I'm kind of nervous," he says flatly.

"That makes perfect sense," I say, fidgeting in my green dress. "But you'll do fine. Just be yourself." We smile at each other just before he has to go up onto the stage.

"Thanks, Clara," he tells me. He squeezes my hand and clambers up the stairs. Artu congratulates Wash and introduces him to the Capitol.

"Look at you! You are a stunning young man! I bet you have a girl back home waiting for you," Artu says.

Girls scream for him. He is quite handsome. I can see why girls would shriek. He's the perfect guy. Smart, handsome, brave. He did volunteer for his brother/best friend.

"Yes, I think so. I like her, but I'm not sure if she likes me."

"Well, I'll tell you something. If you win this thing, she'll have to date you. What greater prestige is there besides dating a Victor?" Artu glances to the crowd, laughing loudly. "How is your brother?"

"Good, I think."

"What did you tell him when he said goodbye to you? I assume he said goodbye."

"He did. I told him I'd win. I said I'd come home to teach him how to tie his tie," Wash says, smiling towards the ground. He laughs lightly, as if he remembers a good memory. I want him to get home to his brother, but I want to get home too. One has to die if the other wants to live.

It seems to take forever until it's my turn. Girls continue shrieking as I come onto the stage, then boys begin to hoot and holler. I smile sweetly, trying my best to walk straight in my tall high heels.

"Look at those shoes! What did you think when your stylist put you in those?" Artu asks, helping me into the chair.

"I was thinking I'm going to trip, break an ankle, and die before the Games begin," I tell him.

He and the whole crowd laughs. "You're very cute. Can you tell me, what is your plan for the Games?"

"I'm going to try my best to win. I want to get back home as soon as I can."

"You can try and I hope you will succeed." Artu pats my hand and continues asking question after question. I answer to the best of my ability, still going for my innocent and cute angle. When my interview is over, I shakily walk down the stairs.

Wash greets me, giving me a hug. I yank off my high heels, sighing in relief. "Well, that went rather well. I'm sure you won over a dozen sponsors tonight."

"I'm sure you got sponsors too," Wash says, grinning. I'm glad to have a partner that believes and supports me, but I don't want to have to kill him.

**Geminus "Gem" Minx – District 9**

"Now, why do you want to win?" Artu asks me. I smirk sarcastically, knowing that this is an easy answer.

"I want to win because I want the glory. Doesn't everyone? No one's going to see me coming," I tell him, laughing. "Plus, my district will love me when I win."

"Are you prepared?"

"I'm very prepared. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to win," I say.

"Good luck, Gem," Artu tells us.

"Thanks, Mr. Sunshine." I stalk off the stage and send Dustin up. In his white tux, he causes many girls to scream. He's kind of a dork really. He's pulling the I'm a jerk/aloof angle. So, this ought to be interesting.

"Dustin, don't you just look dashing," Artu says. "I've heard that this year's tributes gave each other nicknames. What's yours? Personally, I think it should be Dashing Dustin."

Dustin doesn't make eye contact with him. He laughs as if to mock the eccentric interviewer. "Yeah, this year we've got some crazy names. There's Dictating Dictatrix…" I can just imagine Dictatrix turning as red as her hair from anger. "Mentally Deficient Maxwell, No-Good Nayeli, even Creepy Cabot. I'm Desperate Dustin."

"And why do they call you that?"

"People think I'm desperate to get home to my girlfriend." He shrugs.

"Yep, I bet you are. Now, what are you planning to do when you get home to see her?"

Dustin's acting seems to fall away. "When I get home, I'm using the winnings to buy my girlfriend an engagement ring. Then, we'll get married." He smiles softly and drives the girls mad. I don't see why though because now they know he's taken.

"How much do you love this girl?"

Dustin laughs lightly. "I love Ebony more than anything…"

After that, all I hear is blah, blah, blah. He really didn't sell his jerk angle. I snicker as he tromps down the stairs. The little girl from Ten heads up them, passing her lame partner, no pun intended, on the way up. Parrow is soft spoken and quiet. She rarely smiles and doesn't show a lot of emotion. I roll my eyes. She'll be killed quickly during the Bloodbath.

"During the Reapings, you volunteered for your sister, even though she's older. Why?" Artu asks her.

"My sister is about to get married. I can use the winnings to throw her the wedding she's always wanted and we can live in a Victor's home," Parrow says.

"What's your strategy for the Games?"

"I think that's between me, myself, and I. I'm pretty intelligent, so I can apply my smarts and then we'll see." Parrow shrugs as Artu continues to question her.

It's Trenton's turn. He limps up the stairs with a little difficulty. I smirk, thinking about how easy it'll be to take him down. His weak point is his leg, obviously. He settles down in the chair, fixing his navy blue and gray tux. He smiles to the crowd and waves. A few girls give sympathetic screams. They probably just want to make him feel good about himself before he dies the next morning.

"So, Trenton, will you help us what happened to your leg?" Artu asked.

"That's…" Trenton licks his lips and bites them.

"Is it a touchy subject?" He raises an eyebrow.

The tribute shakes his head. I zone out as he explains. I don't really care about him and his leg. It won't matter after tomorrow. Pretty soon, the girl from Eleven begins her short hike up the stairs. I lean against the wall and turn away. I'm ready for the Games. Dustin keeps talking about his girlfriend. Nayeli misses her brother. Trenton has a useless leg. Maxwell is not at all the sportsy type. Many people this year have weaknesses. But I'm not like them. I don't have anything to hold me back.

**Maize Koranon – District 11**

"How many siblings do you have? I heard you have quite a few," Artu says, laughing lightly.

I shift in my seat, crossing my ankles. "Eight. That's a lot right."

"And you're the oldest?"

I nod. "Yep. And then I also have eighteen cousins. I have a really big family." I laugh lightly with the crowd. "How about your family?"

"Whoa! I'm supposed to be the one asking the questions," Artu exclaims. "But I have a rather big family too. What do you plan to do with the winnings should you win?"

"I want to buy a bigger house for my family. We can have more food, too," I say.

"I think that it's great that you decided to participate in this year's Games." And just like that, my interview was over. The three minutes went by so quickly. I hop down the stairs and high five Bailey. He smiles at me and goes up.

"Knock 'em dead," I tell Bailey before sitting down on the couch. I watch the screen and grin. He's charming and funny. He'll definitely win over a lot of sponsors.

"What do you like to do in your free time?" Artu asks Bailey.

"I like to read and I'm studying the human body," he says. "I plan on being a doctor."

"A doctor? That is unheard of from a person from District Eleven."

"Yes, but we need a doctor in District Eleven. We need to help cure the sick and dying."

"Maybe you can do that once you win," Artu tells him. He asks him other little questions like how he felt about the Games, how he felt about his brothers, and more. When he comes back, I hug and congratulate him.

"You did great," I whisper in his ear. The girl from Twelve is on the stage now. She looks scared and nervous. She stutters and pulls at the hem of her dress. She looks as if she could just burst into tears right now.

Her interview doesn't take long. When she comes down, tears are falling on her face. She wipes her eyes and scurries down the hallway. Ector smirks at his partner. He climbs the stairs and shakes Artu's hand tightly. Artu grins awkwardly, introducing the boy.

I shudder a little as he takes his seat. Creepy Cabot is what they call him. His fingers are long and a couple of them are crooked. Bailey pointed that out to me while we watched him train. He said that the boy must've broken a couple of his fingers at least once and didn't let them heal properly.

The tribute on the stage glances behind him every now and then. He continues to grin madly at Artu though.

"He's paranoid," Bailey tells me. He furrows his eyebrows and studies the District Twelve boy. "He constantly looks behind himself and I swear during training, he was talking to someone who wasn't there. Maybe he's got paranoid schizophrenia or something."

I shrug. "Maybe it's just the Games though. I'm sure he's just nervous. I mean, everyone is, right?" I glance at him.

He thinks of a reply. Something to prove me wrong. He shrugs and joins some other tributes on the couch. Maybe Ector's just misunderstood. I feel kind of bad that he has to come into these Games. I feel bad for myself too, but I keep thinking I can do this. I'll be able to come home to my family.

"What do you think of this year's tributes, Ector?" Artu asks.

Ector looks around with wild eyes and laughs. "What do I think? I think only one or two stands a chance against me. The others are all dead to me." He grins manically, cackling. "I mean really, have you seen this year's tributes?" He raises an eyebrow at Artu.

"Why, yes, I have. In fact, I've also seen the scores. Some people got some pretty high scores, Mr. Cabot," he replies, shifting in his seat. "Do you think the odds are in your favor this year?"

Ector scoffs, smirking to the crowd. "Of course I do. Didn't you hear me the first time? I've got some plans for my targets."

"I'm sure you will show us your plans during the Games, right?" Artu laughs. "So, tell me about your family."

Ector frowns, forming creases along his face. He narrows his eyes at Artu, then the crowd. "There's not much to tell. My mother is gone, and I don't care about my father. All I really have is myself and Kenneth. I can't trust anyone else. Relationships let your down…" I glance over at Bailey, who's twiddling his thumbs and studying the other tributes. He's so sweet and innocent. Who would want to kill him? But is it just a façade he's put on for the Games?

In the end, will I be able to trust my partner?

**Conrad Avtlift – District 2**

Gabrielle twitches her way down the hallway to the living room area. She sits down near the window that looks out on the Capitol. There's a massive screen that's replaying the interviews. The girl from Nine's interview is playing. The girl from Nine is snarky and sarcastic. She needs to know when to shut up. I can tell she's got an intent to kill, especially her partner, but her cocky behaviors is going to get her killed by us Careers.

Gabrielle's hair is a vivid red, lit up by the Capitol lights and screens. She puts it in a side braid as she stares out at the people in the square. They cheer and celebrate. Balloons and banners fly and hang everywhere. The people are still dressed in extravagant outfits. The square is muddled with different colors.

I lean against a wall near her and look out as well. Tomorrow the Games will begin. The killing will begin. My road to victory will continue and end in a matter of days. "Watcha thinking about?" I ask her nonchalantly. I don't take my eyes away from the eccentric scenery.

"Winning. Victory. Pride. Honor. Dignity. That sort of stuff," Gabrielle replies, a small smirk playing on the edge of her lips. "You?"

"Winning, of course," I tell her, mirroring her expression. "Only one of us can go home and it's going to be me."

"I wouldn't count on it."

"Really? It seems that you're a target for the boy from District Twelve."

"Doesn't matter," Gabrielle shrugs. She plays with the ends of her hair, her face set in stone. "He's a wimpy boy from a poor district. He'll die quickly in the Bloodbath. Then, I won't have to worry about him." I begin to wonder if the boy actually does creep her out. During training, I'd heard the boy from Eleven explaining that the boy from Twelve may be a paranoid schizophrenic, which seems a bit farfetched. I agree with Gabrielle though; he needs to die in the Bloodbath.

"What about the other tributes this year? What do you think of them?"

"Weren't you there for my interview? This year's Games will be easy. Have you seen the tributes?" She snorts and lets out a snarky laugh.

"What about the girl from Four? When will you take her out?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"We'll see. Soon after the Bloodbath. We could use her for the initial taking out of competition. I do know for sure that the boy from Seven is mine. No one rejects _me_ or the Careers." She glances at me, then back out the window. She scowls. "We're District Two. We're the best. We usually win the Games. We should get the top floor with the penthouse. I don't get why we get the second floor. We're better than all these other lowlifes. "

"We're closer to the Training Center," I say, not sure how I should respond.

"Well, I'm going to bed. Got a big day tomorrow," Gabrielle says. She smirks, flipping her hair and struts out the living room and into her room. I slide down the wall so that I'm sitting down. My gaze is still frozen on the Capitolites. They're so happy and all I think is that I'll be home soon and they'll be cheering for me.

My mind wanders towards what other tributes might be thinking tonight. The tributes from One may be internally debating on who should win. Sorren may have as much of a chance of winning as me, and his sister is also pretty fierce. His sister won't last though. And Sorren was stupid to volunteer if he wanted his sister to live. Hadn't he seen the previous Games where the tributes from Three were siblings? Neither made it out.

The tributes from Three are probably nervous. Neither are threats, although Gabrielle has some ideas for Maxwell. I wonder if it's something stupid and cliché like rewiring the land mines. Several Games before, Careers have had District Three tributes rewire the mines and most of the time the plan would backfire.

Lucien is still probably cracking lame jokes. He's most likely to die when Gabrielle finally gets pissed off and annoyed by him. I really wonder about the tributes from Six. One is a twelve year old girl, like the one from last year, and the other is the son of a victor. There's going to be as much pressure on him as there is on me. He probably wants to win for his father whereas I want to win for my district. I don't care if I have to kill Gabrielle. I want the love of my district.

**Morgan Colliet – District 4 **

Lucien is still cracking jokes. He never stops. I actually think it's a coping mechanism for him since he's being sent off to his death. Of course, he's the one who volunteered so if he's scared about dying, it's his fault. It's hard for me to tell if he's losing sight of his goal, getting home. Everyone has the same goal, and it's so cruel that the Capitol only allows one victor. If only they could change the rule so two could go home, things would change.

"Shut up! SHUT UP, NOW!" I snap at him, after hearing the thousandth joke. I wave my hands in the air and frown. "You have been talking non-stop and I don't appreciate your comedic behavior because it's annoying as hell. Your talking makes me want to kill myself before I even get into the freaking Games. So. Shut. Up."

Lucien appears to be genuinely shocked by my outburst. I don't regret anything though. His smile fades away and he stands up. "I think I'll go to bed now," he says, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Wait, don't…" Now I feel bad.

"No, it's okay. I need to rest before the big day tomorrow," he says, smiling faintly. It's not one of his real smiles though. It's not like his smile during his interview. I let out a huff and cross my arms over my chest.

Pash enters the room, rubbing her eyes. Her long hair is tied up in a ponytail. She squints at me and turns on another light. "What's with all the yelling? Why are you still up?" she asks me.

"Can't…sleep, I suppose. Nerves. Facing my imminent death doesn't exactly provide comforting thoughts when going to sleep." I turn my gaze towards the window, looking out on the Capitol Square.

Pash sighs, sitting down across from me. "A year ago, that was how I felt. Nervous, scared, unsure. Just stay confident. If you keep telling yourself you can't, you won't be able to win. You need to put your heart and determination into it."

"Why didn't you join the Careers?" I ask. Many girls from previous Games from District Four hadn't been joining the Careers. Most didn't like the Careers because of their brutality.

"Most people think I betrayed the Careers because they were too cruel. Honestly, I knew that if I joined them, sooner or later other tributes would kill us or we'd turn on each other. I didn't want to get into that. I thought that not being with the Careers wouldn't make me a target, but it did the exact opposite. I became a target, but it was a bit easier for me to gain allies."

"What did you do for weapons and should I join the Careers? Should I just turn my back on them?" I ask, speaking very quickly.

"You're a smart girl, Morgan. You should do what you think is best," Pash says, running a hand through her hair. "When I trained, I learned to try and be able to use every weapon because you never know what's going to be at the Cornucopia. Follow your instincts."

"Thanks for the advice," I say, leaning back in the chair.

"Hey, no problem," she replies, smiling.

Then, I realize something. "What happened to you and that boy from Nine?"

She narrows her eyes for a moment, then relaxes. "It was a silly crush. I thought I loved him, but it was just an infatuation because I was so lonely in the Games. But, don't fall for anyone. During the Games, you need to block out your emotions."

I nod as Pash returns to her room. I stand up and stretch. It's late and I need rest, but how can I? I can only imagine what's going through other tributes' heads right now. The boy from Nine, Dustin, worries about returning home to his girlfriend. The girl from Five just wants to win for her brother. The boy from Seven wants to get home _to_ his brother.

The Capitol is cruel and we're just pieces in their Games.

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><p><strong>AN: This is the end of Chapter 20. We're almost to the Games. Regular sized chapters will return in the next chapter. Sorry this one was so long. I didn't expect it to be this long.**

**Check out the forum, by the way. Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.  
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**http : / / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/  
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**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum.  
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	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:Whoa. Whoa. What? Two chapters in one weekend? What in the world is happening? Here's a quick little chapter before the Games begin. This chapter is shorter than the others so...sorry if it's too short.  
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><p><strong>Sage Freedan – District 6<strong>

I wake up bright and early. We actually have an hour before we have to get up, but Tarragon's shouting and yelling with his dad wakes me up. On my nightstand, my stylist had laid out my outfit for the arena. How could I have forgotten? The Games begin today. In a few hours.

I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. I miss home so much that my heart aches. Just the simple thought of sitting outside on the brown grass makes me yearn for home. A few tears escape, but I quickly wipe them away. Now's not the time for weakness. Now's the time to step it up.

My prep team ties my hair back into two French braids. I stare at myself in the mirror for a moment, realizing that when I come out, I won't be the same person. That is, _if_ I come out. At breakfast, Tarragon and his father don't speak.

"Sage, do your best," my mentor says curtly. He purses his lips and storms away from the table. I eat as much as I can without getting too full to the point where I'd be sluggish if I needed to sprint anywhere.

I'm led to the roof top after breakfast. A hovercraft is hovering a few feet off the ground. It's huge, much bigger than I remembered. When I board the flying machine, the tributes from One to Five are already there. I'm locked in and a Capitolite inserts a tracker in my arm. I wince at the pain, then relax.

During the ride, I close my eyes and imagine I'm home. Suddenly, we're at a different building and I'm in the launching room. Things seem to be going by so quickly. My stylist is there, smiling softly at me.

She puts a thin, purple jacket on me and hugs me. "Sage, you'll do wonderfully," she says. I nod and step towards the launching tube. The glass encases me and instantly, my panic begins to rise.

The pad is lifted upwards. As I get a view of the arena, I gasp, cringing at what I see. The whole arena is dark because the trees block the sunlight. My eyes quickly scan my surroundings. Mist covers the forest. The trees don't have any leaves.

But the Cornucopia is what really stands out. It's in the center and the center is the only place with color. There are beautiful flowers everywhere and there's trees covered in green leaves. The Cornucopia is overflowing with supplies.

Finally, I get to all the other tributes standing on their launch pads. My mind goes back to the Cornucopia as the announcer begins to count back from sixty.

Then I think…_I don't want to die._

**Corduroy Dowlas – District 8**

Rilly fidgets in her seat at breakfast. She twirls her hair and isn't really eating. She messes with the hem of her light green shirt. It doesn't take a genius to see that she's nervous. I'm anxious too. The Games are going to begin soon. My hands begin to sweat as I think about it some more.

"You're going to do fine," my mentor says. He leans back casually, then continues his conversation with our escort.

Rilly doesn't say a single word this morning. She leaves the table and our mentor leads us up to the roof. The tributes from Seven just board the hovercraft. I take a deep breath as I clamber up the stairs. The other tributes are there having their trackers injected. The tributes from Two glare murderously at the other tributes. The girls from Three and Six are terrified, eyes open wide and I think one of them is shaking.

I sit down next to Rilly and we're strapped in. I grimace as the needle pierces my skin. I look at Rilly and then other tributes from lower districts as they insert her tracker. The other tributes from Nine to Twelve eventually climb aboard. The girl from Nine smirks confidently. The boy from Twelve checks behind himself a lot, as if he expected a tribute to sneak up on him. I bite my lip nervously. Rilly mumbles to herself the entire ride.

In the launching room, there's the rest of my outfit. The jacket is light weight, soft, and not water resistant. Even though the jacket's light, it'll be warm and I think that the arena is going to be cold. My stylist doesn't say anything; just points me towards the launching tube.

As I step in, I glance up. The glass closes around me and I start to rise up. The cool air touches my face as I adjust to my surroundings. It looks like it's daytime, but it's also kind of hard to tell because of the mist. I hear crows cawing and I turn my head. The other tributes come up and I examine them. We're all looking at the Cornucopia, a massive, golden structure.

The countdown begins. The supplies in the Cornucopia are enticing. The best things are inside the Cornucopia and in the back. There's a few things scattered on the outskirts of the colorful center, but it's hard to tell if there's anything of value.

Then, I see it. A glimmering sword. I can use it. It's my only hope to survive. I can run and grab a pack as I snatch the sword from the back of the Cornucopia. I glance at Rilly who notices me gawking at the sword. She shakes her head no, and jerks her head towards the rest of the forest.

I shrug to her. I won't let anyone kill me in this Bloodbath. The countdown continues and I take in a deep breath. The number is getting closer to zero. My foot slowly slides off the launching pad.

**Trenton Cedar – District 10**

My mentor speaks to us quickly about last minute advice. I hear the words, but don't process them. I keep thinking I don't want to die. I'm too young to die. I have to get home to my family. I'm so much more than what people think. I want a chance to show people I'm worth something.

"Do you understand, Trenton?"

I look up from my food, unsure of who was talking to me. Parrow stares at me, blinking rapidly. "Do you understand?" She seems to be holding back tears.

"What?" I reply dumbly.

"Don't go to the Cornucopia. You'll die quickly if you do," my mentor tells me.

"Everyone forgets the first tributes to die," Parrow adds. She finishes her breakfast, then sits there for a while, thinking about something.

People forget the first person to die. I don't want to be the first person to die.

"Remember your allies," our mentor says as an Avox picks up our dishes.

And just like that, breakfast is over. The last breakfast I might have. Parrow and I are led to the rooftop where we board the hovercraft. I limp up the stairs and settle down in a seat as the tributes from the last two districts come up. I hardly notice the tracker being pushed into my arm.

In the launching room, my stylist puts my jacket on me. "Good luck, Trenton," he says. He grins and pushes me towards the tube. The tube rises up and suddenly, my heart begins to race and I don't know what to do. In fact, I almost step off, then I remember the land mines.

I blink, trying to adjust my eyes to the bad lighting. The brightest part is the center and light is reflected off the shiny Cornucopia. Our mentor said not to go towards the Cornucopia and that's just what I'll do. I look at my allies, Pietta, Sage, and Rilly, all ready to go.

The announcer starts the countdown and my palms go sweaty. This is it. I have to make it home. Show people I'm worth something. Gabrielle smirks, eyes on the Cornucopia, along with the rest of the Careers. The girl from Five is staring intently on the golden structure whereas her partner looks murderously at her. The boy from Twelve does the same to his partner, who's shaking like a rabbit.

The countdown has almost reached zero. Suddenly, there's a loud boom.

**Ector Cabot – District 12**

Today's the day. The Games begin today. The killing begins. My dreams are going to come true. I leap out of bed and stretch, a huge grin plastered on my face. I ruffle my hair and throw on the clothes my stylist laid out. In the mirror, I stare at myself.

In the mirror, I see Colby, my best friend, next to my other best friend, Kenneth. He laughs and stands in front of me. His blood red hair is spiked up and his crimson eyes glow. "Are you ready, Ector?" he asks me.

"I'm ready, Colby. I'm ready to kill. And that redhead is going to get it," I say, leaning over the sink and gazing into the mirror. Colby smirks and shoves his hands in his pockets. "I'll be home in no time."

"I'll see you in the arena, mate," Colby says, patting me on the back. He cackles as he exits the bathroom. I follow him and sit down at the breakfast table. Larkie plops down in her seat and I smile. I take my knife and thrust it into the table in front of her so it stands up. She jumps back and gasps.

"Excited for the Games, Larkie?" I ask, grabbing a slice of bread. Colby winks at me and gives me a thumbs up. His maroon cat, Garnet, meows and weaves between Colby's legs. I glance around behind me, then to Lark. Most of the time now, I feel like someone's sneaking up on me. But, Colby said he had my back and I trust him. He helps me through situations.

"Good luck in your Games," our mentor says.

"Thanks, but I won't need it," I says.

Lark sinks back in her seat nervously. She nervously runs her hand through her hair and picks at the tips. Finally, we hop aboard the hovercraft. I glance back and see Colby giving me a sly smile. I take a deep breath and sit, waiting.

When we reach the launch building, I just can't help but feel giddy with excitement. This is it. I'm ready. I don't say a word to my stylist as she puts on my jacket. I shrug my shoulders and walk into the launch tube. As it rises, I can't help but smile even more.

I barely take in my surroundings. All I see is the glorious Cornucopia standing in front of me full of weapons. There are swords, spears, bows and arrows, knives and more. It's so much to take in and it's almost overwhelming. Larkspur shakes on her launch pad and I laugh to myself. I've got great plans for her.

Over the Cornucopia, I watch the countdown, not listening to the announcer. The ground rumbles underneath my feet, almost making me lose my balance. Smoke fills the air and suddenly, I'm off, sprinting towards the Cornucopia just like most of the other tributes.

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><p><strong>AN: So, I've got a question. I'm not sure if this is too early to ask, so I might ask it again later, but...If I were to write a sequel of the next year's Hunger Games, would you read it?**

**Thanks.  
><strong>

**The Games begin next chapter. Have any last thoughts before the killing begins? And what's with the explosion at the end? Hmmmm?  
><strong>

**Don't forget to check out the forum.**

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	22. Chapter 22

**Sorren Princeps – District 1**

A kid exploded right in front of me. Right in front of me. Body parts and blood fly everywhere. His parents won't even get to bury him. The Capitol will have to collect him in pieces. One competitor is already dead.

Thinking about the District Eight boy, I nearly forget where I am. I blink rapidly, leaping off my platform to join in the Bloodbath. The Cornucopia is a huge, gold structure this year. It stands out from all the color in the center. The rest of the arena is dark and mysterious. My sister sprints to the Cornucopia and grabs a spear off the back wall. Behind her, Gem Minx from Nine, tries to sneak up on her with a knife. Gem smirks, taking in the pride as she gets ready to slay my little sister.

I cup my hands around my mouth and shout. "Sapphire! Watch out!"

Sapphire spins around, thrusting the spear into the girl's chest. Then, she pulls the weapon out like it was no big deal. The young girl gasps for air as I get closer. The knife clatters onto the ground and I pick it up. The girl's breathing goes ragged before it finally stops. Her eyes are halfway closed and her limbs are sprawled at awkward angles.

"Sapphire, are you okay?" I ask, trying to ignore the cries of the tributes. I put my hand on her shoulder, but she jerks away.

"I'm fine," she snaps, grabbing more weapons off the walls. I snatch up several packs. A little girl comes bounding into the Cornucopia. I don't even know how she's able to weave her way through this chaos. I seize a sword off the wall and put some knives into my belt.

Sapphire raises her bloody spear, blue eyes blazing. She takes aim and is prepared to throw it at the tribute from Three. The girl's brown hair bounces on her shoulders as she jumps back, grasping a pack at her chest. Her eyes are huge and frightened. She appears to be on the verge of crying.

"Stop, Sapphire," I say. She scowls at me and the tribute takes that opportunity to flee.

"What do you think you're doing?" she seethes. She doesn't wait for me to answer when she stalks off towards other tributes. Sapphire's blonde hair shimmers in the light as she rejoins the fight. Why did I do that? It was a chance to cut down some competition, but I spared her. Why?

Gabrielle sprints through the grass and smirks. The girl from Eleven is running, but not fast enough. The tribute from Two grabs the other girl, head in her hands. A single twist and I hear an audible crack. I'm frozen into place as I look at the other tributes. Already, three are dead. Gabrielle just killed a girl, with her bare hands.

The boy from Twelve is picking up weapons and packs. Then, he spots what he's been waiting for. His small partner is scurrying across to the Cornucopia, but she doesn't make it in time. He's laughing darkly as he yanks out a few daggers from his belt.

I look away when Lucien enters the Cornucopia. He smiles as he sets his eyes on the trident in the back. He takes it off the wall and nods to me. "What's our plan?" I ask. Gabrielle and Conrad haven't exactly told us anything, especially since we didn't know what to expect.

"I think after this we're going to stay here for a while. The rest of the tributes are going to scatter," Lucien replies. He heaves a pack over his shoulder and retrieves a few more weapons. "I think this Bloodbath will be over quickly." He points to the tributes that take packs from the outside of the Cornucopia. They take for the woods, running on their toes. They're trying to skip the Bloodbath.

Conrad attacks the boy from Ten, who's limping away, with a sword. The boy is able to dodge one of his hits, but takes the second one on his arm. Blood pours from the gash. Rilly, his ally has a long knife in her hand as she slices at the Career. He laughs and swats her away. Parrow, his partner, has a bow and arrow. She loads an arrow, draws the string back, and fires. The arrow screams through the air and only grazes Conrad. He turns his attention on the tribute from Ten.

"RUN!" she shrieks, sprinting with her allies. Conrad starts to go after them, but Gabrielle tells him to stay.

My gaze goes back to Sapphire who chases after the tributes from Seven. She wields her weapon dangerously and I begin to wonder who the real enemy is.

**Maxwell Hoover Demonico – District 3**

When the mine explodes, I nearly fall off just before the gong sounds. For a moment, I thought I was going to be second to die. My breathing gets heavy and I shake violently. All the other tributes are heading for the Cornucopia. It takes a moment for me to gather the courage to step off my platform. I know that if I stay in one place, I'll die. So, I bolt for the structure.

There are screams and shouts as everyone tries to avoid the Careers. I'm almost to the Cornucopia when I see the female tribute from One take down Gem. My feet stop moving and suddenly, I can't think of where to go. I'm almost to the Cornucopia. I'm away from the main killing, but still in danger. Someone could easily sneak up and take me out.

The tribute from Six, Tarragon, sneaks into the Cornucopia, unseen and unheard. He slips out and no one knows he was there. I think of my allies. I have to find them. Where are they? Who are they? What was our plan?

My head feels fuzzy as I try to remember, but for some reason I can't. How can I forget? I never forget. I spin around, looking for someone to help me. I reach the mouth of the Cornucopia and see Pietta, almost being killed by the girl from One. She darts past me and disappears into the woods. I'm not sure if she saw me.

The boy from Eleven runs with his ally, Parrow. They're running next to Rilly and Trenton, then break off at the edge of the woods. They had another ally, Clara. I turn on my heels to look for her. Had some tribute already taken care of her?

Just as I think about it, Gabrielle is armed with a large sword, something that I could never use. She charges after Clara and slices her across the abdomen. The brown haired girl sinks to the ground like a rock, face down, surrounded by a puddle of her own blood. Gabrielle doesn't bother to check the body; just keeps moving on other tributes that are scurrying about.

I decide that I've stayed here long enough. I grab a couple of packs, hoping something is useful in them. Maybe some wire and matches. A weapon like a knife would help as well. Anything really. I stumble a little as I get closer to the dead woods. It's like a tree graveyard with dead trees.

I come across the little girl from Twelve, barely breathing. She's lying in a pool of her own blood. I resist the urge to barf immediately. Somehow though, I can't take my eyes off of her. Her hair is a tangled mess and locks have been cut off. What could have happened to her hair? Next are her arms and legs, all cut open. Some cuts are so deep, I swear I can see bone and muscle. Her chest is cut open and there's a giant hole where her heart should be. Then, her face. Indescribable feelings flood my mind.

It's red with blood. Gashes cover her face. Part of the skin is peeled back, especially at the hairline. Her nose is crooked after being broken. Her eyes are swollen, one is almost closed. The sight is so gruesome and that I have to look away. I hear one last breath come from her lips and I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. Only a moment though.

No one else is around the body. That doesn't mean no one can sneak up on me. There are plenty of trained tributes in this Game. I saw one of the Careers break the neck of the girl from Eleven. They're all natural breed killers.

I begin to dash for the woods when something jerks me back. At first, I think it's a branch and I snagged my pack on it. But the force is much stronger. I'm knocked to the ground and the wind is knocked out of me.

I blink, slightly dazed. Standing over me are Conrad and Gabrielle from Two. Conrad heaves me up and Gabrielle smiles. I glance around. All the other tributes are gone. The two from Four are checking the supplies and the tributes from One are checking the bodies quickly before the hoovercraft takes them away.

"Not so fast, geek," Gabrielle says. "I think we have some use for you."

She and her partner smirk maliciously. Two words. _I'm doomed._

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

For my brother. I'm going to win for my brother. My brother will be proud of me for winning for him. For avenging his death. I watch the Cornucopia intently as the announcer's voice weaves in and out of my ears. I'm not fazed by anything, not even when a land mine goes off. I glance for a second, a brief second to see the boy from Eight fall back down to the arena. Well, pieces of him. Bloody and meaty pieces of his carcass raining down.

I bite my lip and return to what really matters. The real canon sounds and the Games begin. I sprint to the Cornucopia on my toes. I remember all the days I would spend running to stay in shape. My brother and I used to race around the district. Only occasionally I would outrun him, but he was pretty fast so I think he let me win a time or two.

Quickly, I snag two swords from the back of the Cornucopia. They're exactly like the swords from the Training Center. They're lighter than the other ones. I can easily maneuver with them. I sheath one and hook it onto my belt. I keep the other in my hand in case anyone attacks. As I strap two packs on my back, I spot the boy from Six. He glances at me, but doesn't make a single move towards me. Instead, he nods and runs for the woods.

I nearly run into the two male tributes, Dustin and Wash. No one has made a single move for them. They're big and fast. They're to kill later. They don't say anything as they take supplies and weapons. Gabrielle begins to run, but seems to decide they're not worth it.

Outside the Cornucopia, Ector has his district partner pinned down underneath him. He plays with a knife and grins maniacally. I already know that the girl is a goner. There's no possibility in saving her.

Clara of Seven falls to the ground, clutching her stomach, which is drenched in blood. When I approach her, she's unconscious and dying. There's another one down. I then, turn my attention to Kage. He's attacking the poor girl from Sage. He laughs and takes a sword, prepared to cut into her.

I narrow my eyes. I won't let Sage die at that little jackass's hand. I take a deep breath and sprint at full speed. I hit Kage with such for that we both go down. His expression is pure shock. I scowl at him and stand up quickly. He's still dazed at what happened. I let out a huff, kicking the sword from his hand.

"Well, bitch," I say darkly, "good night."

Kage gets ready to spit at me as I stab my sword into his heart. He cries out, but I keep a straight face. He glares at me as I remove my weapon. I pick up his sword and turn to the girl from Six. Kage is a goner. He won't be doing anything from now on.

Sage is terrified. She backs up as fast as she can on the ground. "I won't hurt you." I hand her one of my packs. "Get out of here now." She nods, taking the pack I gave her. She takes to the woods, probably to join her allies.

With my head on a swivel, I make sure no one else is following me as I head for the woods in a different direction. On my way out, I pick up another pack, strapping it onto my back. A knife flies by my head. I feel it graze my cheek. Instantly, a burning sensation spreads across my face. I gasp, slapping my hand on the wound to staunch the bleeding.

When I spin around, I see it's Gabrielle who threw the knife. I clutch the knife in my hand, flicking it back at her. The knife whistles, slicing through the air. She dodges it, but it slices at her leg. I smirk, slightly pleased, then escape into the woods.

As I run through the woods, I trip, falling down a small slope. Luckily, I have both swords sheathed so I don't accidently stab myself. I hit the ground hard with an _oof!_ When I recollect myself, I start walking. I should be far enough from the Cornucopia by now.

Suddenly, I hear a voice. "Colby. I did it. She's dead. It was glorious. I held her heart in my hand. And, I even got myself a little souvenir." I hide behind a tree and look around. Ector from Twelve is stalking through the woods, talking to himself. Who the hell is Colby?

It doesn't matter. I'm too close to a dangerous tribute. I start running again in the opposite direction. My lungs begin to burn and my legs ache, but I keep going.

Finally, I stop when I'm far away from Ector. I lean against a tree and think. I killed someone today. I'm a murderer. I…I'm a hunter now. When I count the canons firing, signaling the end of the Bloodbath, there's five canons. Five have died. That's not good. The Careers will be upset. Five people have died, one of which I killed.

I just have to remind myself that I'm doing this for my brother.

**Washington Hayner – District 7**

The 35th Hunger Games begin. I leap off my starting platform and make my way for the Cornucopia. I try to pretend that I didn't just see a kid get blown up. But the image is stuck in my mind. This could be the end. This is the Bloodbath. Most of the tributes die. Usually the District Seven tributes die. I don't want to die.

I keep thinking of my brother. He's the only reason I'm trying my hardest to get back. I promised him.

Immediately, tributes begin to die. As I reach the Cornucopia, I wonder what happens after you die. Do you just sink into a black sea of nothing? Or is there something after it all? That's what really scares me.

Dustin joins my side as we enter the huge metal structure. He immediately takes a sword, spear, and a knife. I gather some packs for us and axes. They're stereotypical District Seven weapons, but they're all I know.

While we exit, Gabrielle breaks the neck of the girl from Eleven as her partner, Bailey, flees from the scene with nothing. Parrow runs with several other kids, but I can't tell who her allies are because they're all bunched together. I skid to a stop as Ector takes down his partner.

"Go, go, go," I tell Dustin, pushing him the other way. On the other side, the Careers are gathering supplies and weapons and killing other tributes. Gabrielle lets a girl drop from her grasp and I recognize the familiar head of hair. Clara.

"Go on and take for the woods. I'll come after you in a sec," I say. With my axes, I jog over to where Gabrielle is. I slice at her, full of rage. She killed my district partner, now she deserves to die. She easily dodges my blow.

"You want some of this?" Gabrielle says slyly. She smirks, narrowing her eyes at me. She laughs lightly, holding up her bloody sword. I glance down at the fallen girl. "Oh, I see. She was your girlfriend, huh?"

I snarl, swinging the axe where her head is. She jumps to the side, kicking at me. "You gotta do better than that," she says condescendingly. I'm already sweating as I go after her again.

"Wash!" Dustin cries out. He begins to come after me, but stops when Conrad threatens to chase him. After that distraction, I'm brought back to the fight as Gabrielle slices my arm. Blood drips down my arm and I grip it in pain.

My face hits the ground as Gabrielle knocks me down. I'm scared all of a sudden. This is it. I'm going to die. I got too emotionally attached to Clara and now I'm going to die. I've failed. I won't be coming home. Miles will be alone. I feel a tear escape as I think of the sword coming down to end my life.

A knife whizzes by my face, landing in the ground. Blood splatters from a cut on Gabrielle's leg. The girl from Five smirks and runs. I take the distraction as a chance to escape. I snatch the knife from the ground and bolt for the woods.

Dustin is running up ahead and I can see him. I pick up the pace so I can catch up. "Dustin!" I yell. He slows down and we sprint side by side. We don't know anything about this arena, so we're just hoping to be lucky and maybe we won't fall into a trap.

As we run, I hear someone else running next to us. When I glance to the side, I see Tarragon running through the dead tree forest. He doesn't pay any attention to use as we veer to the opposite direction.

We set up camp a few minutes later. We stretch and don't bother to start a fire. The canons start going off then. Five canons. Surely, the Careers will be hunting almost immediately. They'll want to kill as many as possible.

There's one thing for sure. I won't let them kill me.

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Kage Hatenn – D5

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Maize Koranon – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Morgan Colliet – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Rilly Jarson – D8

Dustin Proelia – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Parrow Hosira – D10

Bailey Fera – D11

Ector Cabot – D12

* * *

><p><strong>AN: OMG! We're in the Games! Let the 35th Hunger Games begin! So, sorry the Bloodbath dead list is so short, but it was hard to decide who would die. But hey, more individual deaths to write/read.**

**Have any new bets on who will win? Have any bets on who will die next?  
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**Don't forget to check out the forum.**

**Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.  
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**http : / / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/  
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**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Dustin Proelia – District 9**

My lungs ache. My throat is dry. My muscles burn like someone set fire to them. Wash holds onto a tree so he doesn't fall over. I lean against one, running a hand through my hair. I'm still not used to it being so short.

I laugh suddenly, but not too loudly. I hold my hands over my head and stretch a little. Wash smiles and chuckles lightly. He knows exactly what I'm thinking. We've both made it past the Bloodbath. Wash was a little stupid to challenge that Career girl, but he's alive nonetheless. We're going to make it and sooner than I know it, I'll be back home in Ebony's arms. The second I return we're going to get married. We'll live in a big Victor's Home with my family.

"We made it," Wash says breathlessly. He covers his face with his hands as he continues to laugh with relief. "I think we can do this."

I nod, finally sobering up. "We should make camp here for a little bit, then move on quickly. Only five died in the Bloodbath so the Careers are going to be hunting. I don't want to be first on their list." We open our packs that we collected. There were two sets of matches, one from each bag. Two sleeping bags, two water canteens which were unfortunately empty, and packs of dried fruit and meat, rope, and a compass. Even though the canteens didn't have water, we got lucky with our packs.

We attempt climbing up the trees, but most are too brittle and old. Wash and I are too heavy. A smaller person like a little boy or girl could probably set up a little nest though. We agree to keep an eye on the tree tops in case anyone is hiding out.

"What now?" Wash asks, softly.

I shrug, opening a small pack of dried fruit. "We need to save our food. I don't want to run out and have to go to the Cornucopia to get more food." I hand him a slice of dried apple and take a piece for myself before putting it back. "I don't like the looks of this forest either. Too creepy."

Wash shudders in response. He munches on his apple slice, staring at the ground. We sit down across from each other. "This arena is different than any arena I've ever seen," Wash says. I know what he means. The last few arenas have been basic with forests, ocean sides, and deserts. I've never seen the arena this dark before, although I've only seen a little less than seventeen Games in my lifetime.

"What kind of mutts do you think there will be?" I ask nervously. Mutts are always the scariest things in the arena. I think they're scarier than the tributes themselves. Mutts are creations of the Gamemakers so they could be just about anything.

Suddenly, we hear screams in the distance. It comes from the direction of the Cornucopia. Instantly, Wash and I shoot up onto our feet. We glance at each other and nod in agreement. It's time to go. The screams are a bit too close. We start trekking further and further away from our previous camp site.

Soon, the sky begins to darken. The branches look like monsters trying to grab you. The moon has an eerie glow to it through the fog. The air becomes considerably colder. Wash and I zip up our jackets as we continue to walk. By now, we're wishing we could have flashlights, but that makes you a big target.

Wash trips on a root sticking out of the ground. He scuffs up his knee, but jumps back up quickly and glances around behind himself. "How much further do you want to go?" he asks. He drags his arm across his forehead to rub some sweat off his face.

I turn my gaze upwards to watch the stars. My father had taught me how to follow the stars for directions. Sadly, there are no stars in the sky of this arena. Suddenly, the Capitol anthem sounds throughout the arena.

I jump at the sound, examining my surroundings. My sword is in one hand as I back up against a tree. No one comes out. Wash is the only other person there.

We look up past the branches. The faces flash across the sky. None of the tributes from One, Two, or Three have died. Surprisingly, the girl from Four died. I thought she had a decent chance, but maybe Dictatrix finally got her revenge.

The boys from Five and Eight have died. Then, I realize my partner is in the sky. I sigh at the picture of a smirking young girl with dark hair. She had something against me and I didn't like her for it. However, I never wanted her to die. I suppose though, that in order for me to live, she had to die. The girls from Eleven and Twelve are dead as well. Neither of them stood much of a chance and I'm pretty sure the boy from Twelve took out his partner.

Wash and I collapse from exhaustion. We take out a little bit of food and eat. Tomorrow, our next goal is to find water. Without water, we'll both die.

A small whimper and groan reaches my ears. I hop to my feet, unsheathing the sword I got. Wash holds up his axes and follows me. Another tribute is nearby, and it sounds like a young girl. Wash walks in front of me, following the sound of crying.

A girl with brunette hair is on the ground, leaning against a tree, and clutching her stomach. She's pale and sweating. Her sweat mixes in with her tears. Her long hair sticks to her dirty face. Wash gasps, rushing over to her. His eyes are wide as he kneels down next to her. She's familiar, but I don't know what district she's from.

"It's Clara," Wash tells me.

**Bailey Fera – District 11**

Sometimes I used to wonder how I could have gotten this far in life. Now, I wonder how I got this far from the Bloodbath. Parrow walks slightly ahead of me, not saying a word. She probably thinks the same thing. She's also probably thinking about Clara, just as I am. Clara decided to go for the axes and she ended up dying. I think about Maize, dead. Her neck was snapped by the girl from Two. Maize didn't get a chance.

I jump when a crow caws above me. When I look up at it, I get stuck on its beady red eyes. It appears to be smirking at me. It flaps its wings, leaping off the old branch. As I turn back around, Parrow is nowhere to be seen. The fog is hard getting hard to see through.

My heart leaps into my lungs and suddenly, it's hard to breathe. Panic begins to set it. I head in the way I think she's gone. My feet step lightly across the hard ground as I jog through the fog. I spin around, unable to find out where she's gone.

Crows caw loudly. _Snap!_ I look down, noticing I stepped on a branch. Sweat creates a thin coat on my forehead. I can't find Parrow and I can't call out her name. This isn't a game where I can start over if I don't want to lose. I have one chance against twenty three players, although after the Bloodbath, five cannons went off. That makes one against eighteen. And right now, I don't know how many tributes could be around me.

My hands are shaking as I continue to meander through the dark woods. I stay on my toes in case I ever have to run. All I was able to get from the Cornucopia was a slingshot. It's not much against what most of the other tributes got.

A hand covers my mouth and another one drags me down to the ground. The panic rises and my mind tells me to fight and run. I begin to thrash, flailing my limbs. As I'm pulled behind a bush, I get a glimpse of my captor. It's Parrow. I relax and stop struggling. She puts a finger to her mouth, shushing me.

She peeks through the black bush. I do the same and am slightly shocked by what I see. Tarragon corners Pietta, the girl from Six, and Trenton, Parrow's partner. Parrow holds her breath as she watches. She doesn't do anything though. Tarragon is bigger and faster than use, plus he has a good weapon: a sword.

He's smirking and eyes his partner. "Sage, I see you were able to survive the Bloodbath. The last time I saw you, District Five was about to kill you. What happened?" He turns so we can see only a part of his face. I stare at the other tributes' scared faces. Parrow and I really should go, but we don't.

Pietta is huddled next to a tree with Rilly and Sage by her sides. Trenton is standing in front of them. He holds a sword in front. His one arm is dark red, dried with blood. Someone had made a bandage from a shirt to staunch the bleeding. He appears to be terrified, but tries not to show it.

I can't help but wonder how Tarragon was able to presumably sneak up on the four. There's four against one. They should be able to kill Tarragon. He continues to taunt them and make smart ass remarks. Pietta, Sage, Rilly, and Trenton are weaker tributes though. I want to help them, but I'm frozen with fear.

Finally, I gather the courage to emerge from the brush. Parrow's hand, however, pulls me back down. She wipes her eyes and shakes her head no. I want to tell her to use her bow and arrow to shoot Taragon, but she doesn't even seem to think about it.

"Run!" Trenton shouts, charging towards Tarragon. With the distraction, Pietta, Sage, and Rilly scramble away, each going in different directions. Tarragon easily overpowers Trenton as his sword flies away. I imagine Tarragon's mouth smirking evilly.

Through the bush, I can see Pietta turning around as she runs with Sage. Time seems to slow down as I see Tarragon's sword slicing at Trenton's neck. Her eyes widen and she screams as the head falls onto the ground. Rilly's disappeared into the forest. Sage keeps running, but I can hear her sobs.

Tarragon wipes his forehead. He wipes his sword on Trenton's jacket, then takes his pack. "Better run, Sage! Run as fast as you can!" He yells. He smiles triumphantly as Trenton's cannon sounds. Finally, he leaves the site as the hoovercraft picks up Trenton's body.

Parrow slowly walks out of the bushes. She stares at the blood pool on the ground and brushes the tears from her face. "We couldn't have done anything," she says.

It takes me a little longer until I come out. My hands are still shaking by the time I stand next to Parrow. "I'm sorry," I say, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Why didn't you use your bow and arrow? You're an archer, aren't you? Why didn't you kill Tarragon when you had the chance?"

"Let's just keep moving," Parrow says. She sighs as she heads in the opposite direction Tarragon went. She holds her bow tightly by her side, ready to use it at any second. I run through a few reasons why she wouldn't have killed Tarragon. Maybe I'll be able to talk to her later.

**Gabrielle Dictatrix – District 2**

Worthless imbeciles. I'm stuck with pitiful Careers. It's only been a few hours and only five measly tributes are dead. When another cannon goes off, I just about lose it. I kick the ground and throw a knife towards a tree. I snarl as I turn back to my Career Pack. They just glance up as a bunch of crows fly over our heads, then go back to what they were doing. Pathetic.

"Another tribute is dead!" I yell. "_We_ should have been the ones to kill them. And what are we doing? We're sitting here doing nothing!" My face turns red as anger boils beneath my blood.

"Well, what do you want to do about it?" Sapphire asks. There's a dimwitted expression stuck on her face.

I shake my head at her. She's a dumb blonde, nothing more. "We need to go hunting."

"Who will stay and guard the Cornucopia?" Sorren adds. He stands up, gripping his sword so tightly that his knuckles turn white. His expression is the same as his stupid sister.

"Lucien, Morgan, you stay with the nerd," Conrad commands. He points to them, trying to shoo them away. He begins to move further away from the Cornucopia.

I stand in front of him. My eyes narrow into slits at him. "Who the hell made you the leader?" My blood boils underneath my skin from the anger and frustration. My hand balls up into a fist as I prepare myself to punch him.

"I could ask you the same thing!" He points an accusing finger at me.

"Why don't you just get going! Go hunt, then you can decide who will be leader," Morgan says out of the blue. Both of us turn on her, sneering. I should have killed her during the Bloodbath. Why didn't I? Of course, it'd be so easy to kill her now.

"Stay here and watch the camp," I order Morgan, Lucien, and the dork. I glare at Conrad as I pick up my sword and spear. The sword is hooked on my belt, which is also full of knives, and I stick a longer knife in my boot. My spear is in my hand as I stalk off towards the dark woods.

I grit my teeth as the blondie siblings, Conrad, and I start our hunt for tributes. The two siblings stay behind, covering our backs and sides. Conrad is next to me, but I try to stay in front to show that I'm the leader. My uncle had given me tricks on how to track people. My eyes watch the ground for tracks.

A low growl comes from a bush. I spin around and notice two glowing red eyes. Within seconds, the eyes are gone. Many creatures have been created for this arena. I'm not sure if all of them are muttations, but they probably are. I just know that we all have to be very cautious.

Crows caw and I hear the faint hoot of an owl. Creatures scurry across the ground. A few branches snap. The tributes from One talk quietly. "Shut up!" I snap. Finally, I notice a few footprints. "Here!" I crouch down to examine the foot prints. They're wide apart, so someone was running quickly. At some of the prints, it looks like the person had been sliding as they were running. They're small, so it couldn't have been one of the male tributes. There's only one pair too, so there's just one tribute we're tracking.

I follow the footsteps quickly. My footsteps are light and fast like a cat. Finally, I see a girl with short blonde hair running in front of me. My lips curl into a smile as I begin my chase. "Over there," I call out to my pack.

The girl gasps and picks up her speed. She's surprisingly fast. Her breathing is loud as she runs past trees and through branches. Conrad breezes past me, laughing like a smart ass. He gains some distance on the girl. I will not let Conrad get this tribute. I tracked her so she's mine! I push myself to pick up the speed. Sorren passes me and is at the same speed as Conrad. Sapphire and I take longer strides to get up to the same speed as Sorren and Conrad.

We're getting closer to the girl. I recognize her. She's from Eight. Her loser partner got blown up in the beginning of the Bloodbath. Suddenly, she disappears. I stop immediately, unsure of what's happened. I skid and stop right on the edge of a ledge. I hear her screams as she's falling off the ledge. She's tumbling and covers her head. She disappears again as she presumably hits the ground and maybe crawls off. Unfortunately, it's getting too dark to see where she is. She's fallen into some kind of cave or something.

Sapphire nearly runs into me as she stops. I glare at her and shove her backwards. Conrad stares down and Sorren looks ahead. Ahead of us, there is another ledge. A rope bridge Is the only way across. The rope is skinny and everyone has to go in a single file line. I'm not sure if it'd be stable for all four of us. Seconds later, cannon sounds.

I expect a hovercraft to come and collect the tribute girl from Eight's body. Instead, Conrad points to the hovercraft picking up a mangled body from our campsite.

"Let's go back," I command.

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

Morgan has simply disappeared. Maxwell sits uncomfortably with a spear on his lap. He looks from left to right, making sure no tributes can't sneak up on us and steal supplies. I call out her name, but she doesn't answer.

A few minutes ago, she walked past me to cover the other side of the Cornucopia. When I went to ask her a question, she was gone. There is not a trace of her. "Did you see Morgan walk off, Maxwell?" I ask the nerdy boy.

He shrugs with wide eyes. He's scared of me. The boy quivers in his boots.

"Did you see anyone coming?" I ask. If someone had stolen supplies from the camp, Gabrielle is going to kill us all. It makes me think about my options. Should I leave the Careers to escape Gabrielle's wrath? Maybe that's what Morgan did. She's just like all the other tributes from Four from the last few Games. Morgan's another Pash. I bet that Pash gave Morgan advice to leave us.

"Are you sure? You've been sitting here for a while just looking back and forth," I say. I twirl my trident in my hands,

"I'm pretty sure," Maxwell says. "How do you know my name?"

"I watched your interview and learned your name then," I reply.

"None of the rest of you call me by my name," he adds. He glances downwards. "Call me Max."

"No problem. I think our main problem now is finding Morgan. If we can't find her, then she must have deserted us."

"Why did you volunteer?"

"I wanted to play this Game. I want to win, just like everyone else," I say. I wonder what's made him ask that.

"Yeah, but you want to play this Game. Not everyone wants to play," Maxwell says, staring off into the distance. "And you're okay…with killing other kids."

I shrug. "I suppose so. I really want to win. I'd do anything to win," I explain. I'd never given it much thought actually. I just guess that those are the reasons I want to win. To impress my friends. To show my father I'm more than just a lazy teen. To do something where there are no rules.

A piercing scream tears me out of my musings. I jump as the scream grows louder. They're close by and the screams are high pitched. A girl. A girl that sounds a lot like Morgan. I tell Maxwell to stay where he is. He reluctantly nods.

"If I don't come back before Gabrielle comes, tell her I went chasing after a tribute," I explain. Another nod and I sprint towards the cries for help. I'm not too far from the Cornucopia before I enter a clearing. A boy with dark hair is kneeling over a body. Morgan. He's laughing manically, talking to someone named Colby who isn't actually there. I come to a halt and step quietly so that Ector can't hear me. I wince at the sound of flesh being cut.

Morgan is sobbing and cries for help again. I think her eyes find me because she yells for my help. "Lucien!" She tries to yell my name, but due to the blood that's filling her mouth, my name comes out distorted. She coughs and starts choking on her blood.

Ector sharply turns, snarling at me. "Wanna play doctor, Lucien?" he hisses. His eerie grin widens and he leaps after me. He has a bloody knife in his bloody hand. Ector's fast and slashes at me. I dodge the knife and hold up my trident. My eyes dart towards the limp, bloody, and broken form that is Morgan.

As we fight, it's like a weird dance as our feet move. The advantage I have though is that I've been training and Ector hasn't. I take my trident and disarm Ector. I smirk in pride, and then he pulls out a sword. I'm not sure if I can fix Morgan, and I might be too late if I keep wasting time fighting Ector. I move forward, elbowing Ector in the chest and knock him backwards. I send a good kick to his ribs and punch him in the nose.

He yells out in pain. His nose appears to be broken and blood dribbles down his face. I prepare myself to skewer him, until he turns and runs. I almost start to chase him, but it would be a feeble attempt. Ector's fast and Morgan needs me.

I kneel down next to her, setting down my trident. She's barely breathing and isn't moving at all. Her arms, face, chest, and legs are coated with a dark, red liquid. Cuts, and I mean deep cuts to the bone, are all over her arms and legs. It's too late for her. She's already lost too much blood.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. I was too late to save her. My mind begins to go numb and I don't know what to do.

"Hold…hold my…hand," Morgan is able to gasp. I'm not sure if she can feel them, but I take her hand and squeeze it. A tear rolls down her face as she seems to realize she's dying.

"Were you going to leave me and the Careers?" I just have to know that one thing.

"No…" she breathes. Her sea green eyes are losing their light and I know it's a matter of time before she expires.

"You're going to be okay after this. No one will hurt you," I say softly. "Why don't oysters give to charity?" I lick my lips and swallow with difficulty. "Because they're shellfish." I attempt to smile but fail. However, Morgan's lips curl into the smallest of smalls and she tries to laugh. She just ends up choking on her blood.

"Ge…him…f' me…" Morgan says. I can barely hear her, but I know what she wants. A bubble of blood pops on her lips. Morgan exhales and her eyes glaze over. A lump forms in my throat. Her cannon booms and I can't seem to leave. It all seems too real now. Eventually, I have to move away as the hovercraft claims Morgan's body.

As soon as the hovercraft disappears, Gabrielle bursts through the trees with the rest of the Career pack. She scowls at me, asking what happened. I pick up my trident, explaining how the boy from Twelve killed Morgan.

"When I see him again, he's mine. I'm going to kill him," I state.

**Dead:**

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Rilly Jarson – D8

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Bailey Fera – D11

Ector Cabot – D12

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><p><strong>AN: Well! What a chapter, at least, I hope it's good.**  
><strong> Are the deaths surprising to you? Or not?<br>**

**Have any new bets on who will win? Have any bets on who will die next?  
><strong>

**Don't forget to check out the forum.**

**Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.  
><strong>

**http : / / w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/  
><strong>

**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum.**

**These questions are just for fun:  
><strong>

**1) Who would your dream cast be for A Game of Chance? Post on the topic in the forum!  
><strong>

**2) Have you seen the Avengers? If so, who is your favorite hero? I like Captain America and Iron Man and Loki.  
><strong>

**3) Have you seen the shows Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, Doctor Who, or Legend of Korra? Because, they're all absolutely awesome!  
><strong>

**4) (This is just a notice) At or near the end of A Game of Chance, a topic will be made in the forum where you can post your favorite moments and vote on the best characters. Also near the end, you can help decide if I should write a sequel featuring the Victor of this year's Games. (And don't worry, after this story, I'll write the 36th Hunger Games)  
><strong>

**I think that's it. Sorry there's so many words. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. And stay tuned for Day 2 of the 35th Hunger Games!  
><strong>


	24. Chapter 24

****A/N: So, as you know, the original story got deleted. I am not happy about that. But, here we are! Chapter 24. Enjoy.****

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><p><strong>Tarragon Layland – District 6<strong>

Day 2. I'm already in agony. I'm on the ground wishing things were different. My father won't be proud of me when I come back. He'll be disappointed. He'll ask why I didn't take out the Careers first or why I'm still alive or something else. I don't have to be there to know he's upset. My mother is gone, just like his happiness.

My hand runs through my grimy hair. The sky is dark and lonely. I'm lonely. Each time I blink, all I see is the boy from Ten. His head dropping, separated from the rest of his body. At first, when I killed him, I felt a surge of power. I could control whether someone lived or died. I liked it. But now, I hate myself. The guilt is consuming me. I don't know what to do and no one is here to help me. I'd always taken my father's wealth from being a Victor for granted. I pushed people away. I'm mean and sarcastic. I'm the perfect killer. Distant, crude, apathetic.

My head aches. My mind is weary. My hands and my fingers, wrapped around my sword, won't move. The ground is hard and cold. The wind blows and a shudder runs through my spine. I want to crawl into the sleeping bag I have, but I only got it because I'd stolen the pack from the boy I murdered. I don't even know the kid's name.

I regret the things I said to Sage. Of course, I still want her dead, but only so I can go home. Only one person can go home while twenty three people will be dead. The stakes are high and as more tributes die, the stakes will only get higher.

I wipe my face and feel wetness on my cheeks. I sniffle and brush my hand over my face again. My breathing has finally calmed down. My hair is in disarray. My clothes are dirty with splatters of blood. And this is just the beginning of the Hunger Games. I wonder what I'll look like when I come out.

Suddenly, the branches begin to move. They don't just rustle in the wind. The branches reach up. I spring to my feet and snatch up my pack. I stuff the sleeping bag into the pack, slinging it across my back. The trees groan as they move. A face seems to morph from the bark. Teeth start to form and eye sockets appear.

As the branches reach for me, I sprint. In front of me, a massive log shifts. Legs emerge and grasp the ground. There are large talons on the woody paws. I skid to a stop as I notice the head coming out of the trunk. It has massive horns on the top of its head and nose. I jump as it roars loudly. The beast swipes a paw at me and I leap to the side.

It takes me a moment to get to my feet. I sprint towards another direction, trying to dodge the swipes of the beast's paws. The ground shakes each time he takes a step and slams his paw to the ground. My blood is pounding in my ears as I push myself to run harder.

Dirt flies up as the beast's front paws smash into the ground. I am thrown several feet, smacking into a tree. The breath is knocked out of me. I can't stand. The beast crashes into several trees. The cracks echo and I cover my ears. I gasp for air and stand up. The huge foot is raised into the air. It comes down onto the tree behind me. I fling myself to the side, just barely missing imminent death.

My face is scratched by wood splinters. I slap my hand across my face and blood coats my fingers. I notice an opening in the ground. The big paw comes down again. I sprint and slide down the hole.

I yell out as I slide into the darkness. Fear seizes my heart. What if this is a bottomless pit? I desperately reach out for something to hold onto. But the ground is wet and slippery and smooth. I try to stop myself, but can't. I slide off the edge and I'm free falling. All I can think is that this is the end. Then, I fall on my back. My head smacks the ground.

I stare, dazed, up from where I came from. The beast's paw tries to claw its way through, but he's too big. In frustration, he roars. I sigh and close my eyes.

I don't know how long I was out, but when I wake, my head throbs. I rub my temples as I sit up. The rocky ground is just as wet as the slide I fell on. Slowly, I bring myself to my feet. Water drips down onto my face. My face stings from all the cuts and scratches. I cup my hands, scooping up some water from a puddle and scrub my face a little. I wince at the pain.

Finally, I take a look of my surroundings. The walls curl around, but I see a little light around the bend. Rocks stick out on the walls. I carefully walk towards the light. My footsteps echo and it takes me a second to register the other set of footsteps behind me.

My sword makes a chink sound as it comes out of its sheath. I whip around and see a slender figure behind me. The young girl's hair is short and shimmers in the light. Some mud covers the girl's face. I recognize her. She's one of the girls Trenton was protecting. A sense of remorse washes over me.

"Who are you?" I snap. I don't know what it is about the girl, but I don't go straight for the kill.

"Rilly. District Eight," she says softly. "And you?"

"Tarragon. District Six." A voice in my head tells me to lower my sword, and I do.

**Rilly Jarson – District 8**

Tarragon lowers his sword. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until it all comes out in a whoosh. He's the boy that killed Trenton. My fingers shake at the thought of Trenton's death. Tarragon's hair is in disarray and blood coats his face. I take a tentative step closer. "What happened to you?" I ask.

"There was a muttation," he replies.

I squint for a moment, unsure. It didn't sound like a muttation. "A muttation?"

"Yeah, but unlike any mutt I've ever seen. It sprang to life from a tree," he explains. "It's massive with horns and talons."

"Do you want to stay down here then?"

"That'd be nice," he says.

"Then put away your sword."

"How did you end up down here?" Tarragon questions, sheathing his sword. I'm surprised he obeyed me, but that's not a problem.

"I was running from the red head."

"Gabrielle. Career." He begins walking towards the light. It's the only way out. The other end is a dead end. He ventures outside into the rest of the dead forest. "I think I'd like to stay inside for now. Temporary truce?"

I can't speak. I merely nod and step back inside. No one has found me yet, not even the Careers. The last they saw of me was when I disappeared down another hole. "You killed Trenton," I say with a frown. I have my doubts about him, but perhaps tonight, while he sleeps, I'll slip out.

"Yes, and I regret it already," he replies. He seems genuinely remorseful, but I just can't assume anything.

"I don't have any supplies here," I remind him. "No food or anything."

"I have some supplies. We'll have to find the rest later," Tarragon says slowly. He opens his pack and pulls out his supplies. A sleeping back, dried food, and some rope. I recognize the rope.

"You took this from Trenton's pack," I say, picking up the rope.

"Yes. Can we please stop talking about Trenton," he says softly. It was a command, not a question. "I don't have a lot of dried fruit left. And no water left."

"The ground is wet in this cave. I'm sure we can find some water," I say. "It has to come from somewhere."

"Can we just rest for a while?" Tarragon says, leaning against the wall. He sinks down and puts his head in his hands. As he rests, I pick up his bag and pull out his sword. I stare at it in disgust, knowing it killed my friend.

We decide to venture out of the cave after a while. Tarragon is armed with his sword and I take a sharp knife that he got from a pack. Night is beginning to fall. The sun would be sinking, but it's not there. The sky is permanently set in overcast.

Clouds are looming over us, threatening to bring rain. Tarragon and I search for water and food, but we come up with absolutely nothing. The ground is dry and most of the vegetation doesn't look edible. It doesn't look like any plant I studied in the Training Center.

As we go deeper into the woods, we start to get lost. The forest seems to be shifting, almost like a maze. Tarragon begins marking the trees so we know where we've been. It's like we're going in circles. The sky grows darker, and it's harder to see. The branches crack as they move.

Tarragon lets out an _oof!_ as he falls to the ground, tripping over a branch. A bunch of flowers that are blooming, emit an odd type of smoke as Tarragon rises. He coughs as the smoke enters his lungs. Something changes in his eyes, they glaze over. He stares at me hungrily. He gazes at his hands, then back to me in horror.

"Who are you and what have you done to me?" he yells with panic.

Tarragon wields his sword dangerously and charges after me. He swings it around, hitting trees and air. It's like he sees something I don't. Hallucinations. I scream, turning to run. He nicks me on my arm. Blood drips down my arm. I can't go back to the cave. If I do, Tarragon will surely find me.

I head down a different way. Tarragon roars at me and sprints. Finally, he stops. "I will find you!" he screams savagely.

I keep running, far into the night, not even stopping when the anthem comes on. I don't look at the sky to see who has died today. The anthem ends shortly, so I can assume that no one has died today.

When I stop, I hear voices. I take account of my wounds in the low light. Blood covers me. I hadn't noticed how many places Tarragon had slashed at me. I duck behind a bush and peek out. There's two boys and a girl. It's difficult to tell what districts they're from.

"The only way to get her medicine is to kill," a male voice says softly.

"We can't kill anyone!" another male voice whispers harshly.

"I need to save her!"

"Wash? Dustin?" a younger female voice says. "Do you hear that?"

I hid lower beneath my bush. Suddenly, someone starts dragging me out. I start to scream, but the hand covers my mouth. I scramble backwards on my hands as the person let's me go.

"Who are you?" one boy, Dustin, snaps.

"Dustin…" I recognize the girl. Clara. She's coated in blood at her abdomen.

"My—My name is Rilly… Jarson," I stutter. Tears cascade down my face as Dustin points his sword at my throat. I throw my hands in the air in surrender. "I—I am sixteen years old. My birthday is June 19th." My mind races as my heart pounds. "My mother is a teacher and my father works at a factory. I have a younger brother, Benson, and he—he's seven years old. My best friend is Lyssa. She's like a sister to me. We b—both want to—to—"

The boy named Wash stops me. His face is grim as he speaks. "Run away. Fast." He tosses a small dagger towards me. I nod, picking up the weapon. I wipe my grimy face and run. I go as fast as my legs can get me.

There's a nasty crack as a tree falls in front of me. I skid to a stop, switching directions. I'm just so tired now, I don't want to keep running. I scream loudly when a large beast charges after me. It looks a lot like the beast that Tarragon described. Its large horns ram into trees, knocking them down. The feet clomp against the ground, making it shake. It hasn't noticed me yet, so I run even further away.

I gasp as I see a tree coming down. Immediately, I feel crushing pain on my legs and around my waist and stomach.

**Parrow Hosira – District 10**

Someone screams repeatedly. I look up at the dark sky. I stand up, putting out our small fire that was cooking a squirrel like creature. It's not poisonous, so we got lucky. "Bailey, we need to go," I say. I nudge the sleeping Bailey's shoulder. He moans and rises slowly.

I sling my bow and arrow across my back and load it. Bailey quietly collects our things, shoving them into our pack. Earlier today, when the anthem rang throughout the arena, there weren't any faces. The Careers haven't been hunting well at all. They will be angry to know no one has died today. Not only will the Careers be angry, but so will the Capitol.

Bailey and I have been taking turns sleeping and guarding our small camp. I pull my hair back into a ponytail and we trek deeper into the woods. I've discovered that the further you get into the woods, the more creatures you encounter. There are black crows with red eyes and lizard like tongues. Ugly squirrel like creatures scamper up trees. Bugs crawl all over the ground.

The deeper you go into the woods, the more mysterious plants cover the forest floor. There are odd mushrooms that are growing at the base of trees. Purple flowers are scattered around. When I step on one, smoke is puffed up, but I jump back. The flower is called a shadow lily. It can cause hallucinations among other symptoms. Many of the other plants are poisonous as well.

An oversized creature scurries in front of me. Then I realize, it's a black dog. A massive black dog with huge paws. It turns its head and sets a murderous gaze on me. It growls and bares its razor sharp canines. I raise my bow and arrow, pulling back the string and releasing it. The arrow scrapes the hounds face. It only makes it angrier.

"RUN!" I yell at Bailey. I load another arrow and run behind him. The dog snarls and barks. When I glance back, it looks even bigger than before and more muscular. My fingers grow cold in the air. I quickly fire another arrow at the dog and it misses. I curse under my breath. I throw my bow into my quiver.

"Bailey! Think of something!" I say. The claws of the mutt scratch my calves. I cry out in pain, stumbling. Bailey pauses to stop for me. He grabs my hand to help me. He takes my bow and smacks the mutt across the face. It yelps, giving us enough time to get a couple seconds head start.

"Up that tree!" He points. I wince as I put pressure on my right leg. I'm not sure if I can climb up a tree with my injured leg. Bailey sticks my bow back into the quiver before he starts to clamber up a tree. The dog is gaining on me. I shriek, clawing at the bark.

"Parrow!" Bailey calls out. "Come on!"

"I can't!" I say.

"Grab my hand!" Bailey leans down to hold his hand out to me. I am able to get a few feet high. The dog grabs my leg with its teeth. Bailey climbs higher and takes a branch. He throws it down at the dog. It doesn't completely knock it down, but it causes him to release his hold on my foot.

After it lets go, I start to cry. I can't feel my foot. Bailey helps pull me up and sets me down on a steady branch. He crawls to a branch next to mine. The branches are too weak for the two of us to it on. The dog barks and howls. It claws at the trunk. I'm breathing heavily. I yank an arrow from my quiver and load it. I aim for the dog's head. The arrow misses and buries itself deeply in the dog's paw. Black blood spills onto the ground and splatters against a tree.

"Payback's a bitch," I mutter. The mutt growls and limps away. I sigh with relief. I stare down at my foot, unable to take in all the blood. I grimace as I remove my boot. I wipe my tears away as I peel off my sock. Bailey takes my hand and squeezes it.

The wound is deep. The skin on my calf is shredded. Bailey takes off his jacket, handing it to me. I press it against my leg and foot, trying to stop the bleeding. I heave and sob at the pain. Never have I ever felt this kind of pain. I slowly remove the jacket, cringing at the sight of my gory foot. I'm not sure how I will be able to go on. I'll have to resort to killing in order to get medicine. That or doing something clever and entertaining. I need sponsors.

"We'll fix it," Bailey reassures me. "I guess now would be a bad time to ask why you never killed Tarragon when you had the chance, huh?" He laughs bitterly, smiling at me. I attempt to smile, but fail. Steadily, I wrap the jacket on my injuries.

I sniffle, leaning against the trunk. It takes me a moment to answer. Finally, I control my breathing. "I was scared. I want to win. I'm scared to kill and I'm scared to die. I don't want to die. I am terrified. I just want to get home. I need to get back to attend my sister's wedding. I just need to get back home. Next time, I won't hesitate though." All I have to do is keep my mind on the prize. I have to set my heart on the goal. I have to think about what I want most.

**Ector Cabot – District 12**

There's a distant roar. The Gamemakers have unleashed muttations. The real fun is about to begin. Colby sits across from me, gazing into the fire. His red eyes glow, reflecting the burning embers. He's gnawing on some sort of creature I caught. He doesn't even cook it. I roast it a little over the fire.

No Career dares to come near me. They know how dangerous I am. Plus, I have travelled deep inside the woods where no one will find me. Who knows, I might reach the edge of the arena. There's a force field around the edge to keep the tributes inside, but I still want to see what the end looks like.

Colby lifts his head after chewing off all the meat from its bone. His mouth is red with blood, just dripping on his chin and down his neck. His teeth are sharp and tinted red. "What are you going to do now that it's dark?" he says. A sly grin crosses his face as a deadly gaze examines his surroundings. His head twitches to the side as the wind whistles through the bare trees.

"I'm going to hunt down some tributes. I'm sure there plenty of them nearby. Did you hear those screams earlier? Sounded pretty close," I reply. I laugh to myself and finish cleaning the bone. I take a knife and start to sharpen it. Pretty soon, I have a bone knife to use.

"I will find you, Rilly!" A voice calls out. I glance up, trying to identify the direction the voice came from. "Where are you?"

I stand up, tucking the bone knife into my boot and lifting my sword. When I look around, Colby has disappeared. I narrow my eyes and head into the forest. There are heavy footsteps dragging across the ground. Something heavy is knocked against trees over and over again.

As I turn, I spot a tribute stalking through the forest. He also holds a sword. I recognize him. He's the boy from Six. He wobbles and stumbles as if he were drunk. He's slashing at things that aren't really there. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I think he's gone mental. Crazy. Insane.

As I approach him, being as quiet as a panther stalking its prey, Tarragon whips around. Red marks and scratches cover his face, particularly around his eyes like he was trying to claw them out. My face contorts in a slight frown as I touch the crimson liquid on my face. He cut me.

"Trenton? Is that you?" Tarragon says, staring wildly at me. He sneers, swiping his sword at me. I catch a glimpse of the sword. Blood coats the sword, dried and fresh.

I lean back, dodging the sharp tip. My sword clashes with his. The metal clangs against each other. Tarragon blindly throws attacks. He's very sloppy in his fighting. When he sparred at the Training Center, he seemed much more experienced. Something's wrong with him.

I lunge forward, but Tarragon steps to the side. He trips, falling to the ground. He jabs at my feet and I jump up. He's acting like a drunken hobo. He's not as fun to play around with. I kick his sword away. I step on his wrist, sending two more kicks to his chest and face. There was a snap when I stomped on his wrist. There were snaps as I broke his nose and probably a rib or two. The mutts will get him or whatever drug he's on will kill him.

Tarragon is successfully knocked out. Now, it's time for me to find a more exciting victim that doesn't act drunk or high. I comb my fingers through my hair and wipe the blood from my face. The cut stings a little, but it's not too bad.

"Where are you, tributes?" I call out in a singsong voice. It's the dead of night so most of the tributes will be asleep.

Merely seconds after thinking about tributes that I can slaughter in their sleep, I hear another set of footsteps. They're light and quiet, nothing like Tarragon's. Finally, I locate the footprints and follow them. Suddenly, they just disappear. They stop in front of a tree. I look up and don't see a thing.

There's a rustle and a small crack as a few branches fall. I keep looking around, but I don't see a thing. Then, I catch a glimpse of black hair, but I don't recognize the face. The girl finally stops, smirking at me. She doesn't throw any of the knives in her belt. She's high up that she could miss, then I'd have a knife. Obviously, this girl is clever.

I narrow my eyes into slits. I drag my finger across my throat as a sign to tell her that she's dead. I mark her as my next target. I take my eyes off of her for one second and when my gaze returns to where she is, she's gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Rilly Jarson – D8

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Bailey Fera – D11

Ector Cabot – D12

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, no deaths for this chapter. I just didn't know if I wanted to kill anyone off at this moment. However, one thing can be certain, at least one person will die next chapter. Who will die next?****  
><strong>

**Who was the girl Ector encountered? What is wrong with the Careers this year? Will Tarragon get eaten by mutts or will those mysterious flowers kill him? Or will it be his guilt that consumes him? Will Parrow fix her leg and foot? What did you think of Wash, letting Rilly go even after he said he needed to kill someone to get medicine for Clara?  
><strong>

**Oh, my, my, my, so many questions!  
><strong>

**Don't forget to check out the forum.**

**Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.  
><strong>

** w w w . forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/  
><strong>

**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum. If I get enough questions, I'll have my own little Q&A section either in my Author's Note in the end of a chapter or in my forum.  
><strong>


	25. Chapter 25

**Sapphire Princeps – District 1**

We sit around a fire near the Cornucopia. Gabrielle sulks about not killing any tributes. Conrad leans back, smirking. Lucien holds his trident at all times, ready to kill the boy from Twelve. I'll admit it, Cabot scares me.

My head turns to Sorren, sitting by himself, sharpening his sword. I move over towards him and smile. "What's wrong?" I keep one hand on my spear and another on top of Sorren's hand.

"Nothing," he mutters, frowning.

I raise an eyebrow, knowing he's lying. I nudge him playfully. "Seriously. What's wrong?"

"You have changed, Sapphire," Sorren says, staring up at me with his deep emerald eyes.

I scoff. "How have I changed?"

"How have you changed? You did not just ask me that," he says sharply. "Listen, Sapphire. I volunteered to keep you safe. I know what I signed up for. But if you keep acting like this—"

"Or what? You'll kill me?" I retort.

Sorren shakes his head. "You're being a snob. You are turning into a monster."

"How can you say that?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"Are you two done bickering?" Conrad asks, leaning down between the two of us.

"Get out! This is none of your business!" I snap.

"And go where? Into the deep dark forest?" he replies, laughing sardonically. "Where that mutt is? No freaking way."

"Alright, you little mongrels, shut the hell up," Gabrielle commands. We all look up at her. She saunters around the fire. "You all have problems you fools need to talk about. It's keeping us from working together to kill the other tributes. If we don't work as a team, we're going to lose this Game and I never lose."

"Coming from the girl that will most likely stab us in the back," I say. "Literally."

"Oh, and by the way, carrot-top, you're saying we'll lose like you're going to win. How is that going to work out? What if someone kills you first, someone like…District Five," Conrad adds. "Or me." He raises his eyebrows, amused by his comment.

"Shut it, dumbass," Gabrielle snarls.

"Is this like some kind of intervention of some sort? Team working exercise?" Sorren says.

"Listen, the golden siblings are bickering like four year olds," Gabrielle says, sneering at me and my brother. "The jackass in front of me is walking around like he owns this place. And fish boy over here is sulking like a toddler."

"And you?" I say. "What's wrong with you?"

"Absolutely nothing. I want to win."

"I think that you want to impress someone. That's why you're so competitive," Lucien says, finally looking up.

"Yeah. Who are you trying to impress? You're uncle?" Sorren says.

"My parents were killed by Peacekeepers. My mother thought I was a monster. Maybe she was right but…"

"What? It still hurt your sadistic feelings? You trying to impress your mother?" I say.

"I want to impress the Capitol and the President," Gabrielle says, pursing her lips.

And I want to impress my mother. I gaze at Sorren who is looking at me. He wants to help me and I keep pushing him away. "I'm sorry," I tell Sorren. He squeezes my hand and nods. Finally, I think about what happens when I win. Sorren will be gone. For good. He won't be in the Capitol. He won't have some fancy job at my father's shop. He won't be married to some pretty District One girl. He'll be dead. Because of me.

"Lucien, you should sleep," I say.

"I can't sleep. Not while the District Twelve boy is alive," Lucien says. "I'll sleep when he's dead."

"If you don't sleep now, you won't have the energy to kill him."

Lucien nods warily. Conrad still keeps a smirk plastered on his face. I glance over at the boy from Three who is just digging up stuff from the platforms. I cock my head to the side in curiosity. I walk over to him.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Gabrielle asked me to dig up the mines. If I can reactivate them and use some of the metal from the platforms, I could make a bomb," Maxwell says without looking up at me. "Go to your friends."

"We're not friends. Sooner or later, we'll break up and go our own ways," I say.

It isn't long until we all get some sleep. We alternate, some guarding and some sleeping. Sorren and I talk for a while as we guard the camp. As far as I know, Sorren still wants to protect me. I pray it doesn't come down to the two of us.

"Wake up, you lazy mongrels," Gabrielle says, kicking us awake. "Time to go hunting."

We eat a small breakfast and drink water from the Cornucopia. We leave the boy from Three to continue working on his grenades. Lucien stays behind in case Ector ever comes back.

As we journey into the woods, Gabrielle leads the way. She is careful not to touch the trees. When I accidently touch one, I have to suppress a scream as spiders come crawling out. Sorren touches my shoulder in reassurance.

We go further and further into the woods. Deeper than ever before. The dead leaves move as the wind blows. The trees moan when there are strong gusts of wind.

Finally, we come across a bare spot. I notice large paw prints, like that of a dog. There's a lot of blood stains too. The person was limping and dragging one foot. There was another set of footsteps. The limping person's foot prints veer off to the side. Conrad and Sorren follow those.

Gabrielle and I follow the footsteps of the other person. We hide behind some bushes to see who the person is. The boy is skinny and smaller. His back is turned as he picks berries from a bush.

"Well, look what we have here," Gabrielle says, pulling out her sword. The boy turns around, frightened. I lift my spear as well, aiming it at the boy's heart. The boy's eyes are full of fear as he quivers. I recognize the boy. He's from Eleven. Conrad and Sorren must be hunting for his partner.

"Let's play a little game," Gabrielle says with a murderous glare.

**Pietta Carmelle – District 3**

Sage picks a few berries off of a bush. "These are not poisonous. It's funny because all the other berries we've found have been toxic." She smiles, popping one in her mouth. She puts a few into my hand to eat.

As I pop one into my mouth, I stick my tongue out. It's too sweet for me. However, I understand that this is food and I need it. If I don't eat, I'll die. After the death of Trenton and separation from Rilly, our chances of winning have slowly shrunk.

"We need water," I say, choking down another berry. We'd found a small stream at one point and the water wasn't toxic. But now it's day three and the Gamemakers dried it up. It's a sign that we're too far from other tributes to come and kill us. We're being pushed closer towards the Cornucopia. The land surrounding the structure is the only green thing in this arena.

At night, Sage and I alternate guarding. We don't have any weapons, but we warn each other if something or someone comes our way. Whenever I watch our small camp, I hear things. And see things. It hadn't taken long for me to realize that this arena shifts to our fears. Somehow the Gamemakers have figured out our fears by the way we act and probably when they watch us when we were in our own homes.

"Where are we going to get water?" Sage asks, munching on berries. "Besides, we don't have any canteens to collect the water."

"We need to water or we'll die. And I really don't want to die," I reply, finishing off my remaining berries. "Sooner or later, the Gamemakers are going to come up with some horrible way to either kill us or push us towards other tributes."

"What do you propose we do then?"

I take a deep breath. "Go to the Cornucopia. Full speed. Wait until the Careers are gone and we can grab some supplies. Just enough to sustain us and not too much that they'll notice."

"That's your plan? Go in there without any weapons?" Sage's eyes are wide open.

"Do you have a _better_ idea because if you do, I would _love_ to hear it, Sage," I snap. "Sorry. But seriously, there's no other option."

Finally, she nods. "Take more berries though," Sage tells me.

I wrinkle my nose, picking more berries off the bush. I stick a couple in my mouth, growing used to the taste. We start heading for the Cornucopia which isn't that far away.

We reach the center of the arena. I grab Sage and pull her behind a wide tree. I poke my head around the trunk. A small gasp escapes my lips as I see Maxwell working on something. Standing near him is the boy from Four. The rest must be out hunting.

I turn back to Sage. "Now's the time to get supplies. Only two people are guarding and one of them is Maxwell. If we run fast enough, we can make it. And…" I look back to Maxwell. "We can get Maxwell out of there."

"We can't rescue Maxwell," Sage whispers. "That Career can kill all three of us, easily. We'll get Maxwell later when there's less Careers."

"By that time he could be dead." I stare at her intensely. Sage isn't letting up.

"We need a plan. We can't just go and take him. The boy from Four is keeping a hawk's eye on him," Sage adds.

"Fine. Let's get some supplies and go." I look at the Cornucopia. They've stashed everything inside. It'll be hard to get in there without someone noticing. We'll need a distraction. I examine all the trees. "How well can you climb, Sage?"

We wait a while to make sure the other Careers aren't coming back. Finally, I nudge Sage forward. I turn back around and hear whistling. The boy from Four leaves, ready to kill anyone that crosses him.

I dart towards the Cornucopia. As I grab a couple of packs, there are shouts from the Career and Sage. Hopefully, Sage has gotten to safety high up in a tree. When I turn around, Maxwell is holding a knife to my throat. His gaze softens as he realizes who I am.

"Pietta," he says with a tone of surprise. "What are you doing here? This is dangerous."

"Isn't this whole Game dangerous?" I say. "Let me go. Or better yet, come with us."

"I can't. The Careers will kill me. I want to but I'm scared and this is my best bet to stay alive for now."

"Don't you remember that you were going to be in my alliance?"

"Things are different. Listen, I'll find a way back to you. But right now, I have supplies to make a weapon to destroy the Careers."

"What kind of weapon?" He's obviously building some sort of technology out of scratch.

"A bomb. Just trust me," Maxwell says. "I know what I'm doing. I'll run when the Careers split up. Now, the thing is that I can't let you run off with those packs."

My eyes widen as he touches my throat with his knife.

"Unless you were to knock me out before I could stop you," he continues. He removes his knife. I nod and raise my fist, punching him in the face. He falls backwards, out cold. I run for the woods just as the boy from Four is coming back. He hefts his trident over his shoulder, ready to throw it, but I'm already in the safety of the woods.

As I sprint, I hit something small. _Oof!_ I gasp for air and find myself staring at a small, familiar red head. "Sage!" I whisper. Her eyes are big and scared. "Let's get out of here." I hand her a pack and we're off again.

I keep thinking about death. A shudder runs through my spine. As more tributes die, the closer I could be to my own death. One or more tribtues will become murderers.

By now, we're deep in some of the darkest parts of the woods. Spiders crawl out from the trees. Large rodents scurry across the ground. Snakes slither around. Suddenly, there's a high pitch scream as we take a turn. Sage and I slow down to walking and we see an area where a bunch of trees have fallen and been crushed.

Splinters and branches are everywhere. Then, my eyes land on a blonde head. As I approach, I notice it's Rilly trapped under a tree. She's screaming and crying. "P—Pietta," she says. Her voice is weak. "Sage…Help me!" My eyes widen. The tree is trapping her from her abdomen down.

"Rilly, what happened?" I ask. Sage analyzes the situation and sees how big the tree is.

"Tarragon…he—he, we were allies…he, something happened and, and he chased me. There was this mutt and I ran and this, this tree fell," Rilly chokes out. Her lips quiver. A knife is sitting not too far away and it's just out of her reach. One of her hands is trapped under the tree.

"Shh. Be quiet. We're going to get you out of this, right, Sage?" I say. "Sage. Can we get her out of this?"

Sage takes my arm and pulls me away from Rilly so we're out of earshot. "We can't move the tree. She's not getting out of this. I've seen stuff like this before. Even if we could move the tree, she's been trapped under it for too long. I'm surprised she isn't dead yet.

"What do you mean?" I understand that we can't move the tree. It's much too large.

"Her pelvis will be crushed. As soon as the tree is lifted, then her body will pretty much fall apart and she'll die of internal bleeding. Since we can't move the tree, she's probably going to die of internal bleeding anyway." Sage wipes her face and crosses her arms across her chest.

I bit my lip, nodding. We kneel down beside Rilly to keep her company.

"What's happening?" Rilly says. She's having trouble breathing.

"You're fine," Sage says softly. She starts talking more and I can't think of a thing to say. I just don't have a good grip of what's happening. I don't understand. And I don't understand why I can't feel anything. "Rilly, you're going to be safe soon. No pain or anything." She takes Rilly's hand.

"I'm dying, aren't I?" she says, crying even harder. She breathes shallowly. "I escape the Bloodbath and my murderous ally, and a freaking tree takes me down…"

"I'm so sorry," I say flatly.

Rilly looks to Sage though and not me. "When one of you wins, will you send a message to my brother?" Sage nods. "Tell him I love him. And tell my friend Lyssa that she's practically my sister and I love her too. And…tell Pan that I wish I didn't have to miss our date." She smiles faintly, closing her eyes.

"I will. Promise," Sage says, gently squeezing her hand. We sit there for a while longer, listening to Rilly mumble incoherent things. Then, she falls silent. Her chest stops rising.

And seconds later a cannon booms.

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

I open my eyes slowly, realizing I'd fallen asleep in a tree. I try recalling the events from last night. I was running from the boy from Twelve, Ector. The paranoid schizophrenic as I call him. I rub the sleep from my eyes. I'm surprised that I hadn't fallen out of the tree. I tighten my pack on my shoulders. The branch was just strong enough to hold me. I jump down to the ground.

I need to stay one step ahead of everyone. Only few people have died since the Bloodbath and that means people will be out hunting. There are still sixteen of us left, including me. My plan is to stay hidden and steer away from anyone else. One, I don't want to form any attachments to anyone, hence no alliances. Two, if I stay away from people, then I'll be able to live longer. Hopefully, within a couple of weeks I'll be back home with Felix and my family.

I pull a piece of dried fruit from my pack and nibble on it. I travel further away from the center of the arena, praying I'm getting closer to the edge. No one ever really makes it to the edge, so maybe I'll be a first. They keep a force field up to keep the tributes in, but if it comes down to it, maybe I can use it as a weapon.

The ground begins to rumble. A small gasp escapes my lips as I almost lose my balance. I finish my fruit and hold onto a tree. There's a crack as the ground beneath me splits. I hop to the side and look down at the small fissure. A red glow shines and I realize that it's fire. My eyes widen and I leap as the ground continues to fracture.

The arena shakes and a crevice splits in front of me. I skid to a stop and head backwards towards the way I came. The Gamemakers must have realized that I'm getting closer to the edge. They want me to go back to the center. That must be where all the other tributes are. They're waiting for someone to get murdered as they drive us to the Cornucopia.

It's going to change my entire plan. Perhaps I can just stay clear of people though, even while I'm by the Cornucopia. Soon, the Careers will break up, especially after realizing their inefficiency at killing other tributes.

A tree falls, letting out a huge crashing noise. I grasp a tree as the shaking increases. My hands are sweating and it's difficult to hold on now. Fire spews from a crevice. I cover my head and turn away to avoid the flames from attacking my face. I let out a small squeal as I sprint away. My heart is racing as fast as my legs are moving. The ground continues to split and fire is spit out. It rises up, lighting up trees. The flames reach the dead branches and leaves on the ground.

I suck in air as my jacket sleeve catches on fire. I bite my lip, terrified of the flame. I pat it out before it can burn me. The cracks move towards me. When I attempt to climb a tree, it begins to tip over. I jump from about ten feet in the air. I let out an _oof_ as I land awkwardly. I wince as I twist my ankle. It's not sprained too badly, I can still run.

Finally, the cracks stop. At least, that's what it seems like. I can't hear the ground separating anymore. I keep running though. Something hard and solid hits me. I'm thrown backwards and the wind is knocked out of me. I cough and gasp, trying to remember how my lungs work. I rub my head and sit up. A lanky body rises. The boy is slightly taller than me and has dark hair. I lunge for my sword and hold it up in self-defense.

The boy is Tarragon. I recognize him from his picture when they presented the scores. He holds up his sword too, ready to strike. However, he's stopped as the ground suddenly breaks apart and a large tower of fire is shot upward. We both gasp and gather our things. Without saying a single word, we race through the woods, dodging the rifts and faults and the fire.

The shaking increases as a piece of land cracks and rises. Fire spews and we leap up. I hold onto the ledge as the ground elevates. Then, the piece that I'm on starts to rise and separate. I'm trapped on a square of land rising up. I jump down before it gets too high.

A piece of land rises up, then comes crashing down, rattling probably the entire arena. I dive to the side and roll as a tree smashes onto the ground. I cover my head as cracks sound. When I look up, I follow Tarragon. There's nowhere else to go now. It's like the entire arena is crashing around us. A split behind me pulls apart, then slams into each other, making the terrain quake.

Tarragon and I end up in front of a massive tunnel. I swear it wasn't there before. As I try to run around it, I realize there's nothing but rock. The sides are too slipper to climb. When I try, I cut my palm, wincing as it bleeds. There's only one way to the other side and that's going through the shaking tunnel. Tarragon and I glance at each other before taking off down the tunnel.

The tunnel threatens to cave in as little bits of stone fall. I cover my head to protect it from large rocks. The end starts to collapse. I sprint on my toes and slide out of the tunnel, just narrowly escaping the small avalanche. Tarragon on the other hand, isn't as lucky.

He yells out as large rocks fall on his legs and chest. He coughs, trying to breathe. The shaking stops. "Help me!" he cries out.

My eyes widen as I stare at me. I lean back on my hands, unsure of what to do. I could maybe move the rocks, but I'm not sure. "I—I…" I know he's going to die. Even if I remove the rocks, the extent of the internal damage could range from a little bruising to ruptured arteries.

"Help me! Please!"

I stand up, pulling out my sword. I take in a deep breath and bite my lip. "I'm afraid I can't," I say bluntly. I raise my sword to put him out of his misery.

"Then, please, don't kill me yet. Just, can you stay with me until the end?" Tarragon pleads. I look into his eyes, finally seeing fear.

I lower my sword, nodding. "I'll stay for a while, but I have to go soon. I don't want anyone else to find me." I stare at the broken Tarragon once more, taking in all the rocks on top of him. His arms are trapped and his breathing is labored from all the pressure on his lungs. A cannon booms and I look up as crows fly. At least I think it's a cannon. I look back to Tarragon, struggling to force air into his lungs. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" I ask softly.

"The truth?" He laughs weakly. "To be honest, I was scared. And I didn't want to kill you."

"Really? You killed that boy from Ten though," I say. "And you were very enthusiastic about murdering your partner."

"I suppose the arena's changed me like it's changing everyone else," Tarragon says. "Why did you protect her in the Bloodbath? You killed your partner."

"Kage didn't deserve a chance. Sage did," I reply, looking away. "You're right though. The arena does change you."

"Why did you volunteer?" Tarragon asks quietly.

"Same reason I killed my own partner. The twelve year old I volunteered for deserved a chance at life," I say softly. I brush my hair out of my eyes. "Plus, she wouldn't stand a chance at becoming Victor," I add. "The arena is no place for twelve year olds. Any child really. We may be teenagers, but we're still kids."

Tarragon nods, closing his eyes. "Take my pack," he tells me. "And…end it. Please."

I glance at him. I pull out a knife from my belt and inch closer. I try to lift Tarragon, but I can only get him a few inches above the ground. That's high enough though. I cut the straps off the pack and tug the rest of it from under his body and rocks. "Thank you," I say softly. I take my knife and place it on his throat.

"Wait," Tarragon murmurs. I stop myself from slicing his neck. "When you win…don't become a loser like my father." I laugh lightly and rub my cheeks. A wetness is running down them. Tears. I can't be weak now though. I need to be brave. I breathe in deeply and drag the knife across his throat. I swallow hard as I stare at the blood pouring from the slash. The knife cuts through flesh and veins.

Seconds later, a cannon goes off. I wipe my knife off on his jacket. A hovercraft will come to collect the body soon. I take everything from Tarragon's pack and stash it in mine. There isn't as much in his pack as I thought there would be, but it certainly helps.

I tighten the straps and insert my knife back in my belt. I glance down at Tarragon, then look away from the bloody scene. I pick up my legs and suddenly I'm running. I'm running straight for the Cornucopia.

If the Capitol wants a show, they're going to get one.

**Clara Lignum – District 7**

Wash rinses his hands in the small stream we found. He sits next to me and checks my wounds. I wince, sucking in air. It stings and the skin is raw. I need medicine soon or I will die. I'm surprised that I've lived this long. I lean back against the tree, sighing softly. It's Day 3 and I'm not sure how much I can take.

Earlier we heard two cannons. They were close together. Maybe the Careers went after a group of tributes. Later tonight though, we'll see who is gone. The few people I really want gone are Gabrielle Dictatrix, Conrad Avtlift, Nayeli Morte, Tarragon Layland, and Ector Cabot. Nayeli Morte actually seems like a very nice girl, but deadly as well. I don't want to have to face her and that is all. I kind of wish she was one of our allies. However, she seems the type that would stab you in the back in the end or abandon you so she wouldn't have to live with the guilt of killing someone.

I fear that soon Wash and Dustin and every other tribute will hear my cannon. It won't be long until I die. That is all I can think about now. I shiver and lean against Wash. He wraps his arms around me. Then, he takes off his jacket, draping it over my shoulders to keep me warm.

Dustin is setting up the smallest of fires. It's not enough to really keep all three of us warm. It's to cook some food. Dustin went hunting earlier, coming back with a large rodent type animal. We pray it isn't poisonous and we roast it over the burning embers.

"What do you think happens…when you die?" I ask Wash. He stares at me, astonished. He shakes his head, holding me close to preserve body heat.

"Don't think like that," he says softly.

"We all die eventually," I murmur. I lean on his shoulder, closing my eyes.

"Hey, don't go to sleep on me," he tells me.

"Then tell me an interesting story that will keep me up all night," I say with a weak laugh.

"Want to hear about the Wonderful Adventures of Wash and Miles?" he asks. I nod and he begins to tell a story. I look at Dustin who is sitting near the fire, roasting our giant rat. "Well, you know about that 'haunted house' back in District Seven?" I nod, remembering how my friends dared me to go inside. Of course, I was way too scared and we decided to go back to work instead. "Well, you know the story."

"I don't know the story," Dustin says. I nearly forgot that he isn't in our District.

"Well, supposedly, a long time ago, there was a lumberjack named Grover Elwood," says Wash. "He was married to a charming young lady named Melia. However, he later found out she was having affairs in their very home. Melia was furious and embarrassed, so she tried to divorce him. And, of course, you know the Capitol, they said no. Obviously she was upset and so she hung herself in their home.

"Grover really did love Melia, even though he was cheating on her. Overcome by the grief, he took his axe…" Wash pauses for dramatic effect. He raises his own axe and puts on a creepy grin. I cringe at what comes next. Dustin doesn't know the story. My father told me the story when I was young. I couldn't sleep for nights. Dustin and I both lean forward for the next part. "He took his axe and he—"

"What did he do?" Dustin bursts.

"Okay, this is my story," Wash says. "Now, if you're not interested, I'll just stop—"

"We want to know what happens!" Dustin and I say in unison.

Wash laughs lightly, clearing his throat. "Alright. Where was I?" He rubs his chin. "Ah! Yes. He took his axe…" Wash holds his axe up again. "And he brought it down on his own hand! He cried out in pain, but no one would listen. Then, he cut off his own two legs. He figured the physical pain was better than the emotional pain.

"Then, he slowly hacked himself to death. No one realized he was missing for work. But then, lots of animals were going into the house. One thing people knew was that Grover wasn't a fan of little critters. When a curious little boy and girl go inside, chasing a small rabbit, they smell something completely awful. Rotting flesh.

"The whole house was a mess. Blood was all over the wall. Body limbs were sprawled everywhere! And finally, the children find the chopped up body of Grover Elwood. Of course, the body was even more mangled because all types of critters were munching on him, especially some of the homeless dogs."

"You see, that's why I want to open an animal shelter," I say. "That way dogs won't have to eat creepy corpses." I shudder at the thought.

"Well, let me continue. Supposedly, the house is haunted by Melia and Grover's ghosts. Melia holds a rope and Grover wields an axe. Rumor has it, Melia strangles who ever enters their house and Grover chops them up."

"And let me guess, you and Miles went inside," Dustin says, leaning so close to us that I thought he might fall over with excitement.

"Hold on. A bunch of kids dared me and Miles to go inside. I was like thirteen or fourteen. Anyways, we crept inside. No one is supposed to be in there, but we snuck in. Miles and I quietly went upstairs. As we were on the top stair, we hear footsteps. When I turned around and asked Miles to stop making such a loud noise, he said he wasn't making that sound. I thought I was just hearing things," Wash says with a shrug.

"Then, when we got to the very room Melia hung herself in, I felt these eyes on the back of my neck. Like they were peering into my soul. The whole room got freezing cold. And remember, this is in the dead of summer. It wouldn't be freezing cold, but this room was. When I turned around, I swear I saw this rope just hanging. It was like it was waiting for someone.

"Miles and I went back downstairs and when we were getting back to the kitchen, this vase was smashed on the floor. Now that could have been some stray cat or something, but I doubt it. Then, we heard a moan and a small shriek. And I swear you could smell decomposing flesh at some areas of the house. By now, the hair on the back of my neck was standing up."

I curl up into as tight of a ball as I could without causing too much pain. I wince, thinking about the horror and the pain.

"When we turned around, there was blood dripping down the walls. And in the blink of an eye, it was all gone. Suddenly, you could hear the sound of bones cracking, like an axe coming down on bone. An axe going _whack! Whack! Whack!_" He mimics the motion with his own axe.

"Then what did you two do?" Dustin asks.

"We ran the hell away from there and jumped back into our beds like little scared girls," Wash says. "I know what I saw and it was freaking scary as hell. Let's leave it at Melia and Grover are looking for their next victims to hang and cut up."

"Wow, I could never get the courage to do that," I say relaxing somewhat. "What about you, Dustin? Have any interesting stories to tell us about you and your girlfriend?" I recall his interview where he talked a whole lot about a girl named Ebony.

"We've had a lot of good times together. I really want to go home to her. Marry her. Have kids. You know?" Dustin says, turning over our rodent.

"You really want to have kids? Risking the possibility of their names being Reaped?" Wash says curiously.

"I don't know," Dustin mutters.

"I'm sure you and Ebony will be very happy together," I say to diffuse the tension. "How long have you been with her?"

"Three years," Dustin says. He opens his mouth to say more, but the Capitol anthem sounds and the seal crosses the sky. The smirking face of Tarragon Layland and the innocent smile of Rilly Jarson flash before my eyes. I sigh in relief knowing Tarragon is no longer a danger.

There are fourteen left including me. So, that makes fifteen tributes left. But soon, I won't be here and there will just be fourteen, not including me.

Dustin finishes out cooking our rodent. Wash fills up our canteens. As I sit there, thinking about Washes story, I hear a slight rustle in the bushes. I jump, calling out to Wash and Dustin. They hold up their weapons. When they scan the area, they don't find anything or anyone.

After eating our non-poisonous rodent, we rest up. Dustin sleeps for a while and Wash and I keep an eye on camp. I lift my head as I hear a soft beeping noise. I squint to see through the darkness. "Wash! Look!" I whisper. He sees it too. It's a silver parachute slowly falling down towards us.

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Rilly Jarson – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Bailey Fera – D11

Ector Cabot – D12

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><p><strong>AN: Well! Two people are dead. After this, I promise to have more bloody and violent deaths from other tributes. Don't worry, it won't be too bad I hope. But in case it is, that's why the rating has been moved up to M. I don't want to offend anyone or get in trouble for not having the right rating or whatever. **

**So, let's get to the questions on this chapter! **

**What do you think about Sapphire and Sorren's sister/brother talk? Which Princep will die first? How about that cliff hanger? Will Bailey die? Is Parrow going to get hunted? Who's going to die in the next chapter? What about Nayeli killing Tarragon out of mercy? Should Tarragon have lived instead?  
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**Okay, so, I know that Clara's section was more of a relaxing section of the chapter. I hope you didn't mind it. But, what about that ghost story? Good or bad? And...how about that parachute? The first sponsor gift! (That we know of) And was there someone in the bushes by Dustin, Wash, and Clara's camp? Who could it have been?**

**Don't forget to check out the forum.**

**Vote on the polls, post questions and comments, and look at the graphics.  
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** w w w . forum/A_Game_of_Chance/100130/  
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**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, post it in a review, send it by a PM, or post it in the forum. If I get enough questions, I'll have my own little Q&A section either in my Author's Note in the end of a chapter or in my forum.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Wow, it's been a long time since I posted anything. Anyways, I took a small hiatus and I had a writer's block. But, A Game of Chance is back. I hope you enjoy this chapter. By the way, there was a small mistake in the last chapter, but I fixed it. I said that a cannon went off but as I wrote this chapter, I realized that the person died in this chapter because I wanted to write their POV.  
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><p><strong>Dustin Proelia – District 9<strong>

Wash and Clara pick up the silver parachute that's fallen out of the sky. Sponsors have sent them something. I'm not sure why they would have unless they liked the story Wash told us. It's not the ideal way to get sponsors, but I suppose it must've worked.

"So, what is it that you've two got?" I ask as they come back over.

"Medicine," Clara says, smiling. She's pale and looks weak. She's gotten very lucky because she has been on the edge of death.

"I suppose the sponsors liked my ghost story," Wash say, surprised.

"It was probably entertaining and some sponsor decided to give us a gift. Thank you whoever you are," Clara says. She pulls out the syringe. It is full with an odd light purple liquid. It's definitely medicine from the Capitol. Wash sticks the needle into her side, pressing the plunger down. She winces at the pain.

"You need to sleep. Then, we're getting out of this area," I say as I hear a ruffle in the brush. I glance back, then to Wash. He's holding a passed out Clara in his arms. "I don't like the feeling this place gives me."

"This is the arena, Dustin," Wash tells me. "No one likes the feeling this place gives us."

"You should sleep too," I tell him. "I can watch over camp." I lift my sword up and stand away from the dying fire. The temperature suddenly seems to drop and I shudder. Wash wraps his jacket around himself and covers Clara with her bloody one. I throw mine on and scan the outskirts of our camp area.

When I wake, the ground is covered in frost. Wash stands next to the fire, shivering. He glances at the sleeping Clara every now and then. She's on the ground shivering underneath her shredded jacket. Goose bumps cover my arms. "Why is it so cold?" I ask, slowly sitting up. I barely remember switching places with Wash.

"I don't know," he replies bluntly. "The Gamemakers I suppose." He shrugs. I stare at the white branches. There are bits of ice everywhere. It hasn't snowed, but it was cold last night.

"Were they planning on freezing us to death?" I cough.

"I don't think so. I think they would have made it even colder if they planned on freezing us to death," Wash says. He leans down to wake up Clara. He nudges her gently. "No one died in the middle of the night. So, even if they did plan on freezing us, it didn't work."

"Someone could be freezing now. Hypothermia," I say. I examine Clara. She's looking a lot better. She isn't as pale and her forehead isn't covered in sweat. The medicine has definitely helped.

"Yeah, but we don't need to worry about it."

Clara rubs the sleep from her eyes and stands. She shivers a little like the rest of us. I cough and nod towards the woods. "We better get moving. We can eat later," I tell them.

We pack up quickly and make sure the fire is completely out. I hold my sword in my right hand. Wash is armed with his axe and Clara walks in front of him. The frost starts to melt from the trees as it becomes warmer. I assume the Gamemakers will make it colder again tonight.

I try to predict the next moves the Gamemakers are going to make. I jump when something darts in front of me. It was dark with black hair. I throw my arm out, keeping Wash and Clara back. Wash steps up, axe up and ready to strike. When I look down, I notice tracks. They're not animal foot prints, they're boot prints. Someone just ran in front of us.

I turn my eyes to the direction where the person ran. But, the person isn't in sight. The ground begins to shake. "Run!" I'm not sure what's coming, but we need to get as far away as we can. It could be mutts, a bunch of rocks, or anything the Gamemakers want it to be. Could we be getting close to the edge of the arena?

We sprint as fast as we can, trying to outrun the rumble. The problem is that we don't know what we're running from. We could be running straight towards the thing trying to kill us. My foot catches on a large crack in the ground. I fall, but I catch myself. My hands burn as they slide on the ground.

Quickly, I stand back up. The ground doesn't shake as much where we are now. Of course, here, it looks like it's already moved. The ground is cracked with crevices. Trees have fallen everywhere. Obviously, a tribute was here. But are they dead?

There are low rumbles from where we are. The sound is coming from the direction of the Cornucopia. Something is happening down there and I don't know what. "We should stay here. I don't think anyone will be here any time soon," I say as we set up camp.

**Bailey Fera – District 11**

I scream at the top of my lungs as the blade goes into my arm. It's been torture, all night. Gabrielle has an array of knives to use on me. She grins sadistically as she stands up. The night has been cold and lonely despite the fact that half the Career Pack has been around me.

They haven't found Parrow yet. I'm happy they haven't found her.

"Want to know why I like using knives? Actually, want to know how I started to use knives?" Gabrielle asks. I would move, try to escape. If only there weren't knives in the palms of my hands. The blood runs down my skin and sinks into the ground. I'm light headed from the blood loss. Cuts and gashes run along my legs and wrists. I'm surprised I've lasted this long. It won't be long though.

"I asked you a question!" she snaps. She takes her hand and forces me to look at her straight in her demonic eyes. Then, I do something I would never do. I do it as a last act of defiance before I die. I spit in Gabrielle Dictatrix's face. "You little bitch!" She takes a small knife and cuts the side of my face. I suck in wind at the pain.

"Now look, you've made me angry," Gabrielle says. She sighs and wipes off the knife on my jacket. She looks at her allies. "I'm so sorry about that. Sometimes I just lose my mind! It won't happen again. I hope not. Anyways, where was I?" She laughs.

I frown at her. My eyes look at the Careers standing behind her. Conrad leans against a tree with his arms crossed and a dark expression on his face. Sorren isn't there. I assume he's looking for Parrow. The boy from Four isn't there either, or their hostage from Three. Sapphire Princep from District One smirks down at me as Gabrielle talks. I tune out Gabrielle's voice as she blabs on and on about knives.

"….and so, my uncle taught me to use a knife. I never thought it would be this useful, but then I grew up and it became my favorite weapon. The first time I ever used it on someone was in primary school. Some girls were making fun of my hair color because it's orange. Even though it's strawberry blonde." She smirks and pulls out another knife from her belt. "And you know what I did?"

"Get on with it, Dictatrix," Conrad says. "You're taking too long. We've been here all night."

"If you're sick and tired of being here you can leave," Gabrielle says. Her familiar viciousness returns. "I'm just getting into my story."

"Yeah, but you've been torturing this kid all night," the pretty blonde girl says. "Sooner or later his blood is going to run out."

"Fine. Just let me finish this story," Gabrielle huffs. She looks back to me. "So, this girl. That little bratty bitch. I took a knife and I cut her hair." She cuts off a lock of my hair. "I cut a little bit at first. But then, I went a bit crazy and cut it all off." She holds my hair in her hands, then lets it go. It catches in the wind and flies away.

"I think I've figured you out," I say. I'm going to die anyway. I might as well say what's on my mind. Gabrielle stares at me, amused. "You crave attention. You're willing to do anything to get people to look at you. That's why you volunteered and that's why you torture people. You're a coward!"

Gabrielle sneers at me. Her eyes are wide with anger and she snarls murderously at me. The last thing I see is the knife coming down again and again. I scream and scream. Finally, I can't scream. The blood gets into my lungs and throat. I can't breathe. I can't think. What do I do? What do you do in a situation like this?

I'm dying. I'm a goner. What do I do? I can't die…I can't go…I—I can't…I…I…

**Conrad Avtlift – District 2**

Gabrielle took too long to kill that pathetic piece of meat from Eleven. Finally, I smile in some satisfaction when his cannon goes off. She must've stabbed him at least ten times. Blood soaks into the ground. Unfortunately, I barely got my hands dirty. I got to play with him a little bit before Gabrielle took over.

When she stands up, she's covered in red blood. She appears to have satisfied her bloodlust. For now. Gabrielle wipes her knife and face with her jacket. Her hands are stained with red. "Are you finished?" I ask, tired of her antics. She nods and walks away. Sapphire picks up the pack she'd taken from the boy.

A parachute slowly falls in front of Gabrielle. She grins, picking it up. Inside is a small vial. I can't tell what's in it, but I'm sure it's poison or something.

Sorren went searching for the boy's partner but hasn't come back. Either the little runt left us or he's torturing the little bitch. I haven't heard any screams though so I'm guessing the bastard abandoned us. It doesn't matter if he has or not because we don't need him. In fact, we don't need his sister either or the boy from Four. And the only thing the nerd from Three is doing is making bombs.

Meanwhile, there are eight other tributes running around thinking they might stand a chance. After we hunt down a majority of them, our pack will split up. Then, I'll kill the rest of them off and finally District Two will have another victor better than all the other victors. I'm a better tribute than all the other tributes. The Capitolites will scream my name. In fact, I'm sure they are cheering me on right now.

"Can we go hunting for other tributes now?" I ask. I don't care if Gabrielle says no, I'm still going to go hunting. I don't need Dictatrix's permission to do anything.

Gabrielle nods. We tread through the forest, listening for anything that moves. Gabrielle uses her tracking skills to search for tributes. They can't all be hiding. They'll have to come out at some point.

"Come out to play, little tributes," I say in a singsong voice.

"Shut it," Gabrielle snaps. She points her spear at me. I narrow my eyes into slits and raise my sword. "Put down your weapon, Avtlift." She grits her teeth. Like I'm really going to lower my weapon before her.

"Oi! Both of you," Sapphire says, turning back around. "We've got tributes to hunt!"

"Tell that to your brother, the abandoner," I seethe.

A certain kind of fire sparks in her eyes. Her sapphire blue eyes are bright and fiery. She holds up her own weapon. Someone darts past us and we all turn our weapons.

"Sorren!" Sapphire calls out. She steps forward to see who is out there. It's not Sorren though. The person had dark hair. Long dark hair. Immediately, I remember who it is.

"It's that bitch from Five!" Dictatrix snarls. She jumps up and begins to chase the girl. "Sapphire, Conrad, go around and try to cut her off!"

We nod, following her orders. As much as I despise this redheaded twat, she knows what she's doing. When I start running, a tall guy with blond hair is running next to me. Sorren. "Where have you been?" I hiss.

"Looking for tributes," he retorts. He holds up his sword as he runs after the girl. She's mighty quick and even Dictatrix is losing her. The ground suddenly quakes and we're all stumbling. Sapphire and Sorren grab onto a tree to stay steady. Gabrielle falls and scowls when she loses the girl with black hair.

"We can get her later," I shout. "We need to get back to the Cornucopia." Something could be going wrong. What if Lucien and the dork from Three leave? What if they take our supplies?

We start running back to the Cornucopia. As the earth shakes, it's harder to run as fast. "Come on!" Gabrielle screams, dodging falling trees. The arena shook early, but not nearly as violent as this.

Sapphire and Sorren run next to each other, tripping over branches and roots. Gabrielle scowls at me, trying to beat me to the Cornucopia. She wants to be better than me. I won't let that happen.

"Hurry!" Sapphire screams as the shaking gets even worse. Suddenly, boulders come out of nowhere it seems. They land next to us. It's like the Gamemakers are just pushing us, not trying to kill us. The rocks keep missing us by a longshot. Sapphire screams like a little girl. Gabrielle has a look of determination on her face as she makes her way back to the Cornucopia.

The ground shakes more violently as larger rocks fall. When one lands in front of us, I lunge to the side. Debris goes into my lungs, making me cough. Gabrielle is struggling to get to her feet. Are we going the wrong way or something? The Gamemakers don't seem to want us to go back to the Cornucopia.

It doesn't matter because we're going to continue to push. We keep running towards the Cornucopia. Finally, the quaking subsides. We reach the Cornucopia. We must be over one hundred yards away when we see Lucien and Maxwell sprinting towards us.

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

It's been hours since the others left. I wonder if something has happened. There haven't been any cannons yet. They must not have found any tributes, but judging by the screams I hear, they're torturing a tribute. I stand up to look over Maxwell's shoulder. He's very efficient at building the bombs. He is finishing the wiring now.

Soon, we'll have to leave the Cornucopia. We can't be here forever and the Gamemakers will eventually force us out. I'm not sure how, but I don't want to wait around and see.

"Would you stop looking over my shoulder?" Maxwell says, placing the bomb down gently. "You're making me nervous." He bites his lip and moves away.

"Yes, sorry," I say. I smile, trying to cheer myself up. I don't want to die and I suppose joking around is a defense mechanism. "Where do fish wash?"

"I don't know…" Maxwell says with a sigh. "Where?"

"The river basin," I tell him. I cough and walk towards the pile of supplies. Every now and then, I hear screams. Male. He must be younger and probably from a lower district.

"That's a pretty good one," Maxwell says, shrugging. He finishes with the wiring. It had taken him a long time to dig up the landmines without setting them off. Gabrielle wants to use them to throw them at other tributes. It seems like a pretty good idea.

I remember when the boy from Eight stepped off too soon. His legs got blown off. Flesh and guts were everywhere. I shudder at the thought. Perhaps the Games isn't as cracked up as I thought it was when I was back home. All I want to do now is go home. After I murder the son of a bitch, Ector Cabot.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible," I tell Maxwell. "We've been here for four days. The Gamemakers want us to kill other tributes."

"Yeah, but do they want us to kill the tributes this quickly?"

"There's still…" I count the tributes in my head. Most of the Career Pack is intact, minus Morgan. The little girls from Three and Six are alive I believe. I'm not sure how, but they are. Both from Seven and the boy from Nine are alive. I'm not sure about the alliance with the boy and girl from Ten and Eleven. I think they're from Ten and Eleven anyways.

Then, last but not least, the prick from Twelve is still alive. That means there are about fifteen of us left.

"There's still fourteen plus me," I say. A cannon booms. "Thirteen…plus me."

Maxwell shrugs and picks up the last bomb. They're a bit big and on the heavy side. I'm sure if the dork had a full laboratory, he could make them smaller.

"Finished. The only issue really is how big the blast will be. I can't really control it anymore now that I've reset the settings the Gamemakers have." Maxwell stuffs them into the bags we have. "What if we both just leave? I don't think the Career Pack needs us anymore."

"We leave and we're dead," I say. "Gabrielle and Conrad will hunt us down."

"What about Sorren and Sapphire? They might be on our side. They hate Two as much as we do," Maxwell says, stuffing more supplies into bags.

I pick up a few bags and move them towards the center of our camp. There's a loud boom and crash, like thunder. The ground rumbles underneath my feet so much, I fall over. Maxwell is on the ground with his hands over his head, fully prepared if anything falls on or around him.

When I get to my feet, I notice the ground shifting. It cracks and moves. The ground is shaking as it separates itself.

"We gotta go!" I drag Maxwell to his feet. We grab as many bags as we can and start to run. This is how the Gamemakers are planning on making us leave the Cornucopia. I yell as the cracks get bigger. The rocks grind against each other, making the worst noise ever. I can barely hear myself think.

"Where?" Maxwell screams, pulling the bags with him.

"Anywhere but here!" I yell over the noise. Rocks begins to fall from the sky. I'm not sure if the Gamemakers are trying to kill us. The boulders don't come anywhere near us, leading me to believe they're just driving us out.

The dirt becomes loose as it moves. The cracks are deep. Suddenly, the ground starts to fall out from under our feet. "Hurry!" I shout, shoving Maxwell forward. Giant chunks start to fall. When I glance down, it looks like a hundred foot drop or something. I slip as the ground loosens.

Maxwell and I finally make it to stable ground. The rocks stop falling. The ground ceases to shake. I look up and see the rest of the Career Pack running towards us. They appear to have been through hell and back. Gabrielle has blood covering her nearly head to toe. Sapphire and Sorren look like they rolled in mud on their way here.

We meet up with the rest of the alliance. I turn back around to see what happened. I ignore the angry and furious screams from Gabrielle. The land surrounding the Cornucopia has sunken. There is a single rocky pathway to the Cornucopia that probably can't hold more than one person.

I look over the edge. Spikes stick up. If you fall, there's no way you can survive. I jump back as I see snakes slithering around. At least I think they're snakes. They're obviously mutts. Scratches cover my arms. The hair is standing up on the back of my neck as I imagine what the snakes could do to a person.

We probably can't get back across. More than half our supplies are gone anyways. It fell into the deep abyss. Now, we _have_ to leave the Cornucopia.

"Let's move back out," Gabrielle says, finally calming down. "It's time to hunt for more tributes."

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Rilly Jarson – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Bailey Fera – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Ector Cabot – D12

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Question time!  
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**Do you feel bad for Bailey? How do you feel about him standing up to Bailey? What was in the vial that the sponsors gave to Gabrielle? What do you think Maxwell will do with the bombs he created? What about the Careers being separated from the Cornucopia?  
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**By the way, I just want to say a few things about this story having similarities to the 74th Hunger Games. Except for two tributes that I made, the others were created by other people. The crippled boy from District Ten happened to be a coincidence. My friend hadn't realized that there was also a crippled boy in The Hunger Games. My friend who created Gabrielle Dictatrix wanted her character to be from Two because it's her favorite district. We do not believe that the most psychotic, vicious, and gruesome tributes are all from boy from Three...yes he dug up the land mines but I have special plans for him. And obviously, now that you've read the chapter you know that Maxwell will not be using the bombs to protect the Careers. I did not originally intend for Nayeli to be a 'lone wolf' but I'm sure that Foxface wasn't the only 'lone wolf', i.e. Thresh.  
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**Some of these things are merely coincidences. My apologies. I'll take it into consideration when I write the sequel to A Game of Chance.  
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**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I hope you remember where the forum is. Post there and get involved on the discussion page. By the way, vote on the poll on my profile.  
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><p><strong>Questions that don't have to do with A Game of Chance at all:<br>**

**Have you seen The Dark Knight Rises? What about The Amazing Spiderman? Personally, I prefer Batman over all the Marvel movies any day. I'm a Batman lover. And you gotta deal with it. (Legend of Korra reference).  
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	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Merry Christmas! Here's your present, my dear readers. Enjoy! **

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><p><strong>Sage Freedan – District 6<strong>

Pietta sits on the cold, hard ground. She fiddles with a twig and sighs softly. Her mousey, brown hair is a big rat's nest now. I touch the end of my braid and look at our packs. We don't have much food left. We haven't saved Maxwell from the Careers. The Careers haven't killed enough. A lot of tributes are still alive. Both of the tributes from One, Two, and Seven are alive. The boy from Twelve is still out there, and that terrifies me. The boy from Nine, girl from Five, and girl from Ten are alive as well. I count on my fingers. Thirteen of us are alive if you include me.

I close my eyes for a few minutes. I'm back in District Six. The voices of all my friends and family surround me. My sister hugs me. I've won. I've won the Games. I did it! "Sage! Sage!" I'm rich. I get to live in the Victors' Village. My heart rises and I am so happy. Almost on cloud nine.

"Sage," the voice says again. I open my eyes and see Pietta handing me the water bottle. There's not much left and I finish it. "We'll probably die of thirst."

I shake my head slowly. "Maybe. I think we can last a couple of days without water before dehydration sets in and we get hallucinations and such. Same goes for food. All the Careers have food. We could possibly steal from them."

"What happened at the Cornucopia though?" Pietta asks, raising an eyebrow. "There was that weird rumbling noise yesterday."

"I don't know what that was," I reply. I shrug, not thinking that it's that important. The Careers will probably still hang around there. Then, they'll split to hunt tributes. The one person I wonder about is the boy from Twelve. I haven't seen him or heard anything about him. His face hasn't shown up in the sky at night.

We finish the last of our food. It was a couple pieces of bread and a little bit of dried fruit. The two of us start walking away from the Cornucopia. We'll move away for a while and then we'll go back and see if the Careers are still there.

As we walk, I hear something. I spin around, trying to find the source of the noise. Pietta stays close to me, scared as well. "Run," I whisper. We start sprinting, unsure of where we're going. We just know we need to get away. I'm faster than Pietta and I have more stamina. Pietta is much less athletic and starts to fall behind. I can't slow down though.

There's a loud boom and I'm knocked off my feet. My ears are ringing as I struggle to my feet. I look back and see a hole in the ground and smoke billowing. There are blood curling screams. I see Pietta with her legs blow off. There is nothing left but bloody stumps just above where her knees were. She's screaming, screaming, screaming. I scream too. I start to move closer to her, but as soon as I see Sapphire from District One emerge from the trees, I instinctively back up slowly. Her brother is behind her. If those two are here, the others are not far behind.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" I tell Pietta. She sobs and shrieks in pain. There's nothing I can do. The bombs that Maxwell created have been used against us. I see Conrad stepping forward, one of the bombs in his hands. He's the one who threw the bomb. The one that blew off Pietta's legs.

I won't be able to get far away fast enough. I see a thick tree and I climb it. I wince as I scrap my knuckles on the bark. Glancing back, Gabrielle has shown herself. She laughs as she kicks Pietta. Maxwell comes into my view. He stands next to the male tributes from Four, the joker. Although, the joke master doesn't look like he's been cracking that many jokes lately.

Finally, I'm high up in the tree. I situate myself on a sturdy branch. I can't go anywhere for now. I'm forced to watch Pietta's death.

"Let's see," Gabrielle says with a malicious grin, "you must be Maxwell's lovely partner, Pietta. This is your partner, right?" She raises one perfect eyebrow at Maxwell. He bites his lip and nods. He's holding back tears. Pietta stares at him in horror. Her stare doesn't last long as she screams in pain again.

The District One siblings stand at the base of the tree I'm in. "Little troll, are you going to come down?" Sapphire asks, smirking at me.

"Why don't you come up?" I says, immediately regretting my question.

"If you insist," she replies. She starts to climb when her brother stops her.

"No. What if you fall?" the boy says. "You could break your neck or fall on your spear. Then where would we be?"

Sapphire lets out a huff and stands next to her brother. "She'll have to come down at some point or she'll starve."

I turn my attention back to Pietta. She whimpers loudly. I know she doesn't want to die, but she's going to. I want to stop it, but I can't. Gabrielle grabs Maxwell by the hair and forces him to look at the broken form that is Pietta. "Conrad. Will you do the honors and finish this chunk of meat off?" Gabrielle says. She forces the District Three boy to his knees. "Don't worry, Maxie, this will be fun!"

Conrad has a sick grin on his face. He draws his sword and stands behind Pietta. She sobs and hiccups. He puts the blade to her throat. He slides it across the tender skin and cuts through the arteries and veins. Her throat will fill with blood and she won't be able to speak or breathe. Pietta's hands fly to her throat in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding.

In minutes, she'll be dead. I close my eyes and look away. But I can still hear her gags. I look back down at the bloody scene. Maxwell has torn himself away from Gabrielle. She smiles cruelly. She enjoys this sick game. Maxwell bends down next to his dying partner and holds her in his arms. Pietta continues to gag on her blood.

Soon, there's silence. Her eyes flutter shut. My ears are still ringing, but there's the clear sound of a canon.

**Parrow Hosira – District 10**

Here I am, hiding, with a makeshift bandage on my shredded leg. I look down at it again and grimace. There's dried blood on just about everything I have. I need a sponsor. Once I fix my leg, I can get back into this Game. I'm beginning to regret ever volunteering. It was stupid and impulsive. I shouldn't have volunteered. I did this for my sister though. I can't forget that. I did it for her for her wedding. She had always dreamed of having a big wedding.

I wish I had an ally right now. I wish I had some medicine. I wish for a lot of things. I stand up and lean against a tree. I've been here too long. I need to keep moving so the Careers don't find me. Earlier today I heard two booms. I'm not sure if they were two canons, but I know someone's dead. I'm hoping it's one of the Careers.

I suck in some air, wincing as I put a little bit of weight on my bad leg. I feel like Trenton now, limping my way through the forest. I bite my lip and keep pushing my way through the trees. I find a long, sturdy stick to lean on as a cane. Sweat drips down my face, making my hair stick.

Finally, I have to stop. I can't move to far or I get really tired. I can't climb trees with my leg. I have to stick with camouflage and laying low to the ground near bushes. I open my pack and drink a little bit of water.

As I munch on a piece of dried fruit, there's a soft beep. In front of me is a parachute with a little box attached to the bottom. I smile in thanks to my sponsors. Whoever is out there doesn't want me to die just yet. I pull myself over towards the parachute and open the box. Inside is glorious Capitol medicine. I take the strange, light purple cream and apply it to my wounds. It makes the lacerations tingle and eventually, they go numb.

I sigh in relief and put the rest of the medicine in my bag. I cover myself in leaves to camouflage myself. If someone's running by, they'll never notice me. I smile a triumph and close my eyes. I doze off for a while.

I wake up when I hear someone stepping on a branch. I reach for my bow and load it quickly. I aim it and look for the person that dares to attack me. A girl with long black hair and a sly smirk on her mouth holds up her hands. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm in need of an ally," she says smoothly.

I narrow my eyes and lower my bow. The girl has two swords strapped to her belt along with several knives. She has a full backpack on. She barely has a scratch on her. She's done a good job at hiding and avoiding. "Parrow. District Ten."

"Nayeli. District Five." She walks closer to me. I stand up. Then I realize there's no pain in my leg at all. I lift the bandages and it reveals light pink skin. There'll be scars, but I'm okay with that. As long as I have use of my leg and can run, then I'll be fine.

"Why do you need an ally?" I ask. I'll be her ally, but she looks like the kind that will stab you in the back. As I recall, she is the one that volunteered for a twelve year old girl and saved that girl from Six at the bloodbath.

"I could use a little help. And maybe we can sabotage the Careers. Or not. We could just hide. Whichever works for me." Nayeli lowers her hands. "I have food and water. You have medicine. Both of us are good hunters. We'd be a good team, no?"

After a minute or two, I nod. "Alright, Nayeli from District Five, we can be temporary allies. But if I say so, we split. Got it?"

"Got it."

**Ector Cabot – District 12**

I scream in rage as another tribute dies at the hand of those damn Careers. Pietta should have been mine! Why didn't I move fast enough? I take my sword, slashing at the dying tree. It's thin and cracks. Splinters fly everywhere. I kick the trunk and branches on the ground. My face contorts in frustration and anger. I watch from a distance as the hovercraft comes to pick up the mangled body. She should have been mine. I should have been the one to feel her warm blood.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. If I think about it, I can almost smell the coppery scent of blood. I stab another tree and count how many tributes are left now. The Career pack is basically the same as it was in the beginning, minus Morgan. It was almost too easy to take her down. She wasn't as experienced as the other Careers. She definitely had a lot of fight in her. She was fun to rip apart. The Capitol should give me a name. Ector the Ripper. Maybe something along those lines. All of Panem is going to remember me. If I win or die, I won't be forgotten.

There are voices behind me. I stab the tree and grin. There are tributes nearby. Tributes that need to be silenced once and for all. They're going to lose this game. I pull out my knife and turn on my heels to follow the voices. They're going to pay for their mistakes with their lives. They have no idea what they've gotten themselves into.

The voices in my head chant and lead me straight to my prey. I stalk silently through the woods. No one will hear me coming. I'll be a surprise. The forest is dead silent. The other tributes are still talking. They're whispering now, but it's loud enough for me to track them. I keep an eye out for tracks, but I can only find animal tracks. Who knows what kind of animals are out there? I wonder how many are actually muttations.

I approach a fire that's been put out. Some tributes were here and have recently left. I smile to myself, thinking of what I could do to those tributes. I wonder how many muttations there have been that have attacked tributes.

I push past some trees and trek up a rocky hill. My boots slip a little, but I grip the rock and pull myself up. I stand up and continue tracking those pesky tributes. I come closer and closer to the sounds. Finally, I stop in my tracks and listen. There are three different voices. They speak in hushed tones.

I peer around a tree and see three tributes. And what a jackpot I have hit! The two big guys from Seven and Nine. And then there's the easy target, the girl from Seven. She should have died long ago. I draw my sword and move closer towards them. A cruel grin crosses my face as I continue to sneak up on them. They'll never see me coming. I glance behind me when I hear something rustling. A tree cracks and falls.

I look back and see the boy and girl from Seven. I go after the girl, the weak link. I snatch her by the hair and drag her backwards. I put my sword up to her throat. I cut a piece of her hair off and laugh. "You have such pretty hair," I whisper in her ear, laughing breathlessly. "It's a good souvenir. Just like that girl from Four and Larkie."

The boy from Seven aims his ax at me, although I doubt he'll want to use it. "Let her go," he says.

"What? You think I'll be willing to let this extraordinary specimen go? I think I want to run some experiments on her. Want to play doctor, Clara?" I ask.

The boy steps towards me, challenging me. I click my tongue and press the blade against the girl's throat. "Wait your turn," I say. My grin widens. I pull out a smaller knife, the one I use to dissect my prey.

Something crunches behind me. I move to avoid whatever is behind me, but I'm too slow. The person behind me has snuck up on me. I turn and the boy from Nine has his sword raised. He slices at me. I jump to the side, light on my feet. He hits me with the hilt of his sword and kicks me in the stomach. I fall backwards, laughing.

The boy from Seven pulls the girl back behind him. The boy from Nine kicks me in the nose. I feel it break and blood spurts everywhere. The three tributes start running. I stand up to chase after them. It's hard to breathe with all the blood, but this isn't an opportunity that I'm going to miss.

**Sorren Princeps – District 1**

Here we are, waiting for that little runt from Six to come down. I'm sitting at the base of the tree with Sapphire. She plays with the knives from her belt. She takes out a butterfly knife and flips it around, opening and closing it. "She's not coming down," I say softly.

Sapphire looks at me and shrugs. "She can't stay up there forever." She glances up at the little red head.

"We've been waiting here for over thirty minutes," I reply. I stand up and stretch. The ginger stares down at me as she hugs a branch. She looks tired and hungry, like all of us. We all smell horrible. I sigh and pick up my sword.

Sapphire stands up with her spear. "We can't leave. Gabrielle and Conrad will be back soon with food." Her gaze lands on Lucien talking with Maxwell. I'm surprised those two are talking like they're good friends. I suppose that Lucien feels lonely like a lot of us do. I miss my friends back home. I wish everything was back to the way it once was. I wish I'd never gotten in these games. Although, I suppose there are worse games to play.

I bite my lip before talking. "I think we should leave the pack," I tell her. "I think we should go with Lucien and Maxwell and leave Gabrielle and Conrad."

Sapphire narrows her eyes at me. I know she looks up to Gabrielle, but it's not healthy to be around such a psychopath. "No. What the hell are you talking about?" She scoffs and paces back and forth. Occasionally, she glances up at the girl in the tree. The girl from Six has nowhere else to go. She can't climb up higher and the other branches are too thin to hold her up.

"We can't stay with the tributes from District Two." I walk towards Sapphire. She merely pushes past me, giving me a cold stare with her icy blue eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because they're going to stab us in the back. They're going to betray us," I whisper.

Sapphire stops to look at me. "No, they aren't," she says. "At least, not yet." She looks at the ground. She wants to survive and she's realized the best way to survive is to stay with the Careers as long as we can. But soon, we're going to have to run away from them. When it gets down to the final eight, everyone will turn on each other. I have to protect Sapphire. I can't let her turn on me.

Gabrielle and Conrad come back from hunting. They throw some rabbits down for us to skin. We roast the meat and eat it. It's not long until we settle down. The sun hasn't gone down yet. Well, the sun is hard to see and the forest is dimly lit. It's always hard to tell the time.

We're all laying around the dying campfire. Suddenly, a bunch of tributes storm into our campsite. We all leap into action, holding up our weapons. The other three tributes all stay together in a corner of the campsite. The girl gasps as she looks to her left and sees Ector, all bloody and furious. Gabrielle sees a chance to go after Ector. Ector just wants to kill Clara. Wash is trying to protect Clara with the help of Dustin.

I turn around and see the little girl from Six jump down from the tree. The other four tributes were her perfect distraction. I wanted to go chase her down, but I decided not to. I focused on the issue at hand. Conrad starts a fight with Dustin. Wash is fighting Ector. There's a spark in Lucien's eye and he charges after Ector. Gabrielle goes after Wash. She's still pissed that he didn't join the Careers.

I go to help Lucien fight Ector, who is a raging psychopath who needs to be taken down. Our swords clash. All I can hear are the sounds of shouts and weapons clanging against each other. I punch Ector in the face. Finally, the little bitch runs off.

I smile semi triumphantly. I'd prefer Ector dead, but with him gone, we can focus on the other three tributes. Lucien goes to chase after him, but Conrad holds him back. The two push each other and begin to argue. I'm not too focused on them though. Wash, Dustin, and Clara take the chance to run. Sapphire, Gabrielle, and I go after those three.

Wash takes out a small axe and throws it at Gabrielle. She smirks, dodging the flying weapon. Sapphire sees the ax, but it's too late. The blade lodges itself in her chest. She stops in her tracks, spitting up blood. Everything begins to move in slow motion. I scream and run to my sister. I catch her as she falls to the ground.

I look back at Wash, the boy from Seven, the boy with the axes. He stares in horror, seeing what he's done. His partner and ally drag him away as Gabrielle threatens to chase them. She slashes at a tree with her sword and comes back.

I look back at Sapphire. She's gagging on her own blood. I want to get up and chase after the boy from Seven. "Sorren…please hold me," she says, grasping my hand. Lucien kneels next to me. I reach to pull the axe out. Lucien shakes his head.

"You pull that out and she'll die immediately. You have a few minutes with her at the most," he says. He pats my shoulder and walks off.

Tears cascade down my face as I hold my dying sister. "No, no, please. I'm not going to lose you. I'm supposed to protect you. Mother was going to be proud of you."

"You're a good brother, Sorren," Sapphire says weakly. She smiles halfway. She coughs up blood. She turns her head, and then looks back at me. "You have to win…okay, for me. You'll make Mom proud." She's crying now too.

"You're going to be fine. You'll be fine. I won't let you die. I promise."

"Don't make any promises you can't keep," she says. Sapphire tries to laugh, but she can't. "Thank you." Her blood covers my hands. I put a hand on her cheek, leaving a smear of blood. She smiles halfway at me. She exhales, her sapphire blue gaze on my sage green eyes.

A canon goes off. I can't control my sobs. I choke up and kiss Sapphire's forehead. I close her eyes and look away. I yank out the ax. It leaves a nasty wound, but I can't stand the ax being in her chest. I'm going to take this ax and I'm going to kill District Seven with it.

The rest of the Careers and I move out as the hovercraft comes to take Sapphire away.

**Dead:**

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Rilly Jarson – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Bailey Fera – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Ector Cabot – D12

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><p><strong>AN: That's the end of Chapter 27. I don't know why it took so long for me to finish writing it. Anyways, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I really am not expecting all my old readers to come back, but I really want to finish the story for closure. I have a lot of the story planned out except for the end. If you have any questions, contact me via PM or on the forum. **

**Question time! How do you feel about these deaths? Now, we've finally gotten another Career death! What's Nayeli and Parrow planning? Will Sorren leave or will he stay with the other Careers? What's going to happen to Ector? What about Sage, now that she's on her own? **

**Thanks for sticking with me for an entire year! I hope it'll be finished soon. I also want to remind you that I have been working on my novel as well. Plus, school is a bitch.**

**Also, here's a random set of questions. How was your Christmas? What did you get? See any good movies?**

**Until next time, my dear reader!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's taking so long to write the rest of this story. Life has gotten really busy for me.**

**Anyways! Have a great summer!**

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><p><strong>Maxwell Hoover Demonico – District 3<strong>

I've lost track of the days now. I don't remember when I was thrown into this hellhole. Those days when I was at the Capitol seems so far away now. It feels like it's been days since Pietta died, but it's only been a few hours. It's been about an hour since Sapphire died. The first of the Careers has fallen. I don't really count Morgan. Even for a Career, she seemed too soft. So many tributes are dead now. Everyone is going to start dropping like flies now as we get closer and closer to the Feast. When we get to the final eight, allies will turn and it won't be long until there is a winner.

Lucien sits by me and looks up at the sky as the anthem begins to play. Two faces show up. Pietta's picture is of her smiling awkwardly at the camera. She looks unsure of something. Sapphire has a mysterious grin on her mouth as if to say, "You have no idea what I'm capable of." Lucien sighs softly, poking the points of his trident.

The other Careers are sitting away from us. Sorren stares at the ground blankly. Gabrielle is talking with Conrad. As much as she doesn't like him, she talks to him a lot. She acts as if the only person who could possibly understand even just a little bit of her is Conrad, her district partner. They're both killing machines. Of course, Sorren and Lucien are two, but at least they sometimes feel conflicted about it at times. Lucien never wanted to kill those younger girls, but when it comes to Ector, it's as if his soul was stolen by the devil. He wants to murder Ector as brutally as Ector killed Morgan.

"We need to leave. Now," Lucien says. I can tell he is sick of the Careers. He doesn't want anything to do with them. If I had a choice, I wouldn't stay with the Careers either.

"W-we can't just g-go. The Careers are going to be pissed," I stutter.

"Let them be pissed. What are they going to do? They're going to try and kill us anyway." Lucien has a point. He stands up, handing me a sword. It's heavy and I have no idea how to use it. I have to hold it with both hands.

I still wanted to know what we would do about food, water, and other supplies. We could steal from the rest of the Careers, but that could be certain death. If we steal from other tributes, we might be a bit luckier. Lucien could easily fight two tributes and beat them. As for me, I'm basically useless in a physical fight. All I have are my bombs and those are in the possession of Conrad and Gabrielle.

Sorren sits near a dead tree, handling the axe he pulled from Sapphire's body. It's covered in dried blood. There are some parts that are clean where you can see the bright silver from the Capitol. His face is a little red from crying, but he doesn't say a single word. He doesn't make a single sound. He runs a finger across the blade. He glances at me with cold, green eyes.

I turn back to Lucien and look around the arena. "We need to leave before Sorren goes on a psychotic rampage," I say softly. Lucien has first watch with me. I stand watching the other Careers. Lucien quietly packs a bag with a few supplies while Conrad, Gabrielle, and Sorren sleep. Lucien and I gather a couple knives.

It's not long until we can leave. Something crunches the dead leaves behind me. I turn around and don't see anything. It's too dark. The footsteps sound big and heavy. I think there's either multiple people or something that has more than two legs is walking towards us. I leave my post for a second to see if I can see whatever is walking our way.

When I come back, something is wrong. I watch the Careers. Conrad and Sorren are sleeping. But where's Gabrielle? And Lucien? Has Lucien left me? Did he betray me? My eyes search frantically for the familiar head of red hair.

A could, sharp point touches my neck. Blood dribbles down. When I see who is holding the sword, Gabrielle smirks at me. "Going somewhere, Maxie?" She brushes her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes. "You want to know what happens to people who betray me?" She raises a well sculpted eyebrow. She takes her sword and cuts something into my cheek. It felt like she carved a GD into my face.

Lucien comes up behind her. He's ready to strike when Sorren puts a blade to his back. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sorren says.

Gabrielle's smile grows. "See, Sorren is loyal to me. Even that pathetic ass, Conrad, is more loyal to me than you two." She steps even closer towards me. My heart beats fast, my face grows warm. My hands shake and feel clammy. Sweat drips down the side of my face. She points her sword at my heart. "You are going to be my example. This is what happens if you betray me."

Lucien gives me a sad look. I think I know what it means. I'm a goner. Lucien stands a chance. Gabrielle takes her sword and runs it through my stomach. I cough up blood and begin to gag. The pain burns. It's unbearable. I feel something glide across my throat. Blood immediately soaks my clothing. The warm liquid spills onto my fingers. I can't breathe. I sink to the ground with a thud.

I stare at Lucien, as if to beg for help. He's overpowered the sleep deprived Sorren. He's knocked Gabrielle to the ground. The last thing I see is Lucien sprinting through the woods. The world goes black.

**Nayeli Morte – District 5**

A canon goes off as Parrow and I walk through the forest. We glance at each other, curious to know who was dead. Mentally, I go through my list of who is still alive. It's probably the girl from District Six. As far as I know, she doesn't have any allies. We continue moving through the dark woods. It smells of ash and smoke. The Gamemakers must have set a fire earlier. The brittle branches crunch underneath our boots. The air is a bit cool, but we press on.

I hold my sword out in front of me in case anything pops out in front of us. Parrow has her bow with an arrow ready to be fired. Every sound makes us jump. As the number of tributes dwindles, the more desperate they will become because they know how close they are to going home. They just have to make one more kill and they are that much closer to winning.

Something cracks a branch and we stop in our tracks. I stick my arm out to stop Parrow from going any further. I put a finger to my lips to keep her quiet. I point towards the dry bush up ahead. There are so many dry leaves and I can't see through the branches. Everything is just so brittle, dry, and dead. It's hard to be stealthy in this kind of environment. I slowly step towards the brush. Parrow's has her back against mine to make sure no one sneaks up on us. Who knows what kind of devious traps these tributes could be setting up? There's still quite a few Careers left.

It's so quiet and all I can hear is my shallow breathing. My hair sticks to my sweaty forehead. I walk around the brush to face the possible threat. As I come closer, I realize it is only a small bear cub. "It's only a cub," I whisper with a tiny smile. Then I realize something. "It's only _a cub_…" My eyes widen and I stare at Parrow who understands.

"Where's the mother?" she asks in a panicked voice.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. "Run!" I say. The mother bear can't be that far behind. We've barely gone ten yards and I can already hear the mother bear growling, and stomping her way towards us. When I glance back, I get a full observation of the bear. It's bigger than your average bear. It's claws are massive and much longer. It must be one of the Gamemakers' muttation. As it roars, saliva comes out of its mouth. That's when I see the insanely sharp canine teeth.

I push Parrow ahead of me. "Move faster!" I scream. I remember an old joke we used to say. If you and another person are running from a bear, trip the person in front of you so the bear will eat that person. It's not really a funny, haha joke. And at this moment, I will definitely not trip Parrow.

The bear crashes through the trees. Twigs cut up my arms, legs, and face. The wind whistles in my ears. Parrow and I scream at the tops of our lungs. We tried not to make so much noise, but with a mammoth sized bear chasing us, being loud was inevitable. We took twists and turns in attempt to lose the bear. Parrow tried to load and arrow and aim it at the bear. She turned around and fired an arrow, but it went straight over the bear.

"It's moving too fast for me to shoot it!" Parrow yells. The arrows are too small and narrow. I reach into my belt to get something else. A throwing knife. I bend my arm back and flick my wrist to release the knife. It plants itself in the bear's shoulder. That only makes it angrier.

We continue running, but we're also getting tired. All I can think is that I've survived this long and I'm going to die by being mauled by a bear. "Come on!" I shout as Parrow starts to slow down. We're both exhausted though. We're going to die. We're going to be mauled by a bear.

Suddenly, a knife comes out of nowhere. It goes straight past my head. I turn to see where the knife is going. It hits the bear in the eye. The bear roars in pain and stumbles, clawing at its face. It falls and crashes into nearby trees. The cracking of the branches echoes and the ground shakes as the bear falls on the hard ground. I stop and lean my back against a tree. Parrow does the same and loads an arrow. That knife was thrown by someone. I turn around and look to see where the knife came from, but the thrower was nowhere to be found.

After a few minutes, I approach the bear. The knife pierced the brain. Blood coats the fur and drenches the ground. I remove the knife and clean it. It can replace my other knife. "We can eat the meat," I tell Parrow.

Parrow nods. "I'll skin it. We need more water. Could you go and look for some?"

"Yeah. I'll be back. If the meat doesn't look good though, just leave it. Who knows what the Gamemakers have put in the muttations." I pick up our water canteens and begin walking through the forest. I listen for the sound of running water. It feels like it's been about forty five minutes or so before I hear something. I close my eyes and listen. I pull out my sword quietly and make my way towards the faint sound. As I get closer, I see the running water. A smile comes across my face.

I step from behind my tree and then I freeze when I see a tall guy standing next to the small creek. A tall, shirtless guy with blood covering his arms. He runs his hands over his toned arms. I duck back behind my tree as he turns his head. I press myself against the wood and hold my breath.

"You're that girl from training. Hit the bullseye every time when you threw a knife," the guys says. I close my eyes tightly. "It was a good plan I must say. Threw some of the Careers off guard." He's a Career. I put the canteens over my shoulder and take out a knife from my belt. I know I can hit him from this distance. When I lean a little to glance at the guy, he's gone. His belongings are there, but he isn't. I gasp when I realize he could be coming to kill me. I turn around and there he is. He grabs my wrist and takes the knife. I try to slash at him with my sword but he forces it out of my hand. He puts a hand to my mouth. "Shhh!"

I stare into his sad eyes. Despite how sad they look, he has a mysterious twinkle in his eye. The guy looks familiar. I can't remember his name, but he has a rather cocky personality. He doesn't look like he's prepared to kill me. "I'm going to remove my hand and you're not going to scream or anything. I know you're a smart girl, right?" I nod. He slowly removes his hand.

"Who the hell are you?" I scowl at him.

"Lucien. District Four. Now is that any way to thank the guy who saved your life from a vicious bear?" He raises an eyebrow and smirks. He was the one who threw the knife at the bear.

"Well…nice aim," I say. I take my sword back.

"Thanks."

I reach for my knife, but he pulls it back.

"I'm going to need this back," Lucien says.

I narrow my eyes at him. "What the hell do you want?"

"Where do fish keep their money?"

I cross my arms over my chest and roll my eyes. "Where?"

"The river-bank."

I scoff at him and sheath my sword. "Oh yeah, you're that guy with the lame jokes."

"Hey! They aren't _that_ lame."

"Yeah, right. I heard them. They weren't funny." I pick up my canteens and take them to the creek to fill them up. "Where's your stupid pack?" It hadn't really occurred to me that the Careers could be right behind him, waiting for the opportunity to pounce and shank me. Lucien doesn't seem like the kind to really support the Careers though.

He shakes his head. "Ditched them."

"That means they'll want to hunt you down. At least that bitch from Two," I say. I stand up after filling up my canteens.

"Are you in need of another ally?" Lucien asks.

"And why would I say yes to a Career being my ally?" I raise a brown.

"One, I saved your life," he holds up one finger, "two, I haven't killed you yet, and three, I can hunt. Let's not forget I'm stronger and faster."

"Maybe not faster than I am, but definitely stronger." My hands rest on my hips. "Fine." I step towards him and stare at him straight in the eye. "But if you make a single move to hurt me or Parrow, I will cut you down and gut you like the fish you eat in District Four. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lucien says with a half-smile.

"And put your damn shirt on."

**Wash Hayner – District 7**

The guilt is killing me. It's eating me alive. I can't concentrate. I can't focus on anything. I can't think about sleeping or eating or even running. I can't do anything without this burning in my stomach. My body physically hurts from the guilt.

It's hard to breathe. It's like my lungs are closing up. Dustin continuously pushes me forward so that I don't stop. My tears blur my vision. Clara tugs on my arm to pull me in the right direction.

All I can see is my axe slamming into a young girl's chest. I can hear the crack as the blade splits bone. I can see the blood coat the dry, broken ground. My hands shake violently. I clench my fists as I run to keep them from shaking so much. Clara's face is full of concern. Her eyebrows furrow in worry.

"Come on," Clara says. "We just need to go a bit further. Right, Dustin?" She looks up at Dustin. He nods and takes a deep breath.

I follow his lead and take a deep breath as well. It helps calm me down a little. I wipe my face, smearing dirt on my forehead and neck. We continue to run for a while longer before finally settling down. Ector had been chasing us after we'd attacked the Careers, but then he just disappeared. It scares me not to know where he could be. He's stealthy and deadly.

We all sit down to catch our breaths. I run a hand through my hair. "I—I killed someone. I killed a girl…" I mutter over and over again.

"You killed a blood thirsty Career," Dustin says flatly. He stands up and takes out his sword. I don't understand how he could say it so bluntly. I killed someone. I took a life. I've never killed anyone in my life. I can barely stand killing insects and rodents in the orphanage. What did Miles see? Did he see me kill that girl? Did he see me throw the axe and all the blood that came from the girl's body? You never even know how much blood is in a person until they're bleeding out and dying.

"Dustin!" Clara scolds. "Obviously he's shaken up." She bends down and puts an arm around my shoulders. I attempt to smile at her in thanks for trying to comfort me.

"What? This is the game we're playing. This is what's going to happen sooner or later. It's kill or be killed," Dustin says, frowning. He's changed. I'm not sure how. He's a bit colder I guess. Perhaps he is trying to protect his emotions though. At one point, two of us or even all of us will die. I know he wants to get back to his girlfriend. He's trying not to get so attached to us.

Only one of us can win. It's scary to know that. There aren't as many tributes and they're getting more desperate. At one point, everyone will turn on each other. The audience will love that. When the feast takes place, it'll be another blood bath.

It worries me to know that our alliance will not be lasting much longer. I don't want to have to fight Dustin or Clara. I especially don't want to kill Clara. I'm hoping that when we separate that the Careers or someone else will kill them so I won't have to. It seems like such a terrible thought. I don't want to kill anyone else. I don't even know if I want to go home after this. I don't even know if I can face Miles. He will have known I killed that girl.

I didn't even mean to kill her. It was an accident. I was aiming at Gabrielle. I wanted her dead. I feel so terrible for wanting her dead. I just want to get home. My odds of going home are either in my favor or not in my favor. There aren't as many people to go through to win. But then again, the tributes are going to be more savage now.

"Wash. You can't shut down now," Clara tells me softly. "You're so close to coming home. Miles is going to be so proud of you."

I nod and close my eyes. "I just need to rest." I feel Clara nod and leave my side. I lean my head against the tree behind me.

Dustin sighs heavily and sits down next to me. I open my eyes and glance at him. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to sound cruel. I just really want to win," he says. He gives me a sad look. "Get some rest. I'm going to need your help with some hunting later on."

**Dustin Proelia – District 9**

Wash closes his eyes and falls asleep quickly. He has cold sweat running down his forehead. I know that killing that girl has been hard on him. I haven't killed anyone before so I have no idea how he's feeling. He seems to be going through a lot right now. I want to comfort him, but I can feel myself getting more and more emotionally attached to him and Clara. We're becoming closer friends each time we talk.

I don't want it to come down to the three of us. I don't want to kill them. However, I sadly admit that I am desperate enough to get home to my girlfriend and I just might have to take them out. Wash is still asleep while Clara is walking around collecting berries and other kinds of edible fruit. Everything in the arena is slowly dying though. It's getting harder to find food. The only way we'll be able to get food is hunting for it or getting it from sponsors. And we don't come by many sponsor gifts.

I stand next to a tree and keep an eye out on our little camp. We won't be starting a fire unless we want to attract other tributes. After a while, Clara returns with very little food. Wash wakes up after she comes back. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and stands up to stretch.

"We can't stay here long," I tell them. "We have to keep moving. I have no idea where that Ector kid is or where the Careers are. For all we know, they could be hunting us down."

Clara puts the food she found on a blanket. She's got a small selection of berries and nuts, but there isn't a lot. We'll have to share and have tiny portions. "What if we look for other tributes?" she asks. "For allies."

I shake my head. "We can't. That's too dangerous. They're probably not looking for allies."

"What about that girl from Ten? Or the girl from Six?" She furrows her eyebrows in thought.

"They'll probably just hold us back." The girl from Ten hasn't been seen in a while. I have no idea if she would stab us in the back or help us and I'm not willing to take that risk. The girl from Six—not trying to be mean—will not help us at all. She's small and she can't fight. Of course, neither can Clara. And Wash is out of commission now that he's all shaken up about killing that girl from One.

"If we form a big enough alliance though, maybe we can take down Ector and the other Careers," Clara says. She had a point, but I'm still not sure if I'm willing to take that risk. It's a big risk to trust other tributes this far in the game.

"I just don't feel safe doing that, Clara," I say.

"Neither do I," says Wash. "What happens when it comes down to just our alliance? I don't want to have to fight the girl from Ten or Six."

"I still think it's a good idea," Clara insists. "We can just split up after, right?"

I shrug. "Maybe we can consider it, but I still don't like the thought of forming a mass alliance."

We sit in silence after that. All I can hear is the cracking and crunching of nuts and berries being eaten. In no time, we have finished our small meal. I take out my sword and lightly run my finger across the blade. I faintly hear something. It sounds like a hiss. A soft hiss…and maybe a rattle?

I jump up and turn to Clara. "Did you hear that?" I ask in a low whisper.

She looks up at me and shakes her head. "I didn't hear anything. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" I snap. I take a deep breath. I'm beginning to get frustrated with this game, having to stay alert all the time and fearing the worst. "Sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that."

"It's okay."

I start to relax again when I hear another hiss, louder than the first time. "Did you hear that?" This time, I turn to Wash. He stands up slowly with his axe in his hand. He nods slightly and looks around. "It must be a snake."

"Probably a muttation," Wash says.

"Then we better get moving so we don't get attacked by whatever is out there," I say. We pick up our things and start to walk. The hissing gets louder and louder. I keep an eye on the ground to watch out for creatures crawling across the cracked ground. Suddenly, Clara shrieks. I look down and see that she's stepped on a snake. It hisses and draws back to strike. I slice its head off with my sword. "Come on. Go on ahead." I place a hand on her back and push her forward.

Wash walks ahead of me. I look back at the dead snake. It slowly begins to writhe. Where the head once was, two heads start to grow. Immediately, the story of the Hydra comes to mind. You cut off one head, two more grow. "Shit," I mutter. "Run!" The snake is alive once more and starts to slither towards us. I gawk at the massive fangs with venom dripping.

As we run, more snakes start to slither out in front of us. Clara screams and starts to cry as she tries to dodge snakes. Snakes seem like one of her biggest fears. Wash takes his axe and starts cutting off the heads of snakes. They go limp and after less than a minute, they come back to life with two heads.

"Wash! Stop!" I shout. "You cut off one head, two more grow back." By the time I tell him, he's cut off heads of multiple snakes. Some snakes have six and eight heads. They seem to be everywhere. They hiss and stare at us with beady red eyes.

One gets close to Clara and he runs in front of her to cut off its heads. He slices off one, but the other one dodges his blow and sinks its teeth into Wash's forearm. He cries out in pain and drops his axe. He clutches his arm and stumbles backwards.

"Washington!" Clara screams. Her eyes are wide with fear.

I tear a branch off a nearby tree and hit snakes backwards. Clara follows my lead and whacks snakes with thick branches. The snakes hiss and strike at us, but only end up sinking their teeth into wood. They finally begin to retreat.

As soon as the snakes disappear, Clara and I drag a groaning Wash. His arm is swelling up. I can see the veins in his arm, which is beginning to turn purple. The two puncture wounds are raw and red. We drag him to a small clearing in the forest. I take off my belt and tighten it around his arm, just above the crook of his elbow. Hopefully it will slow the poison from spreading to his heart.

"Wash, can you hear me?" I ask him.

Wash bites his lip and winces. He grips his arm in pain. "Y-yeah. I can. Everything's blurry though." He yells out in pain. "It burns!" He's pale, like a ghost, and sweating. He grimaces and then goes limp. I place two fingers to his neck. He still has a pulse, but it's faint.

Clara kneels down next to Wash. "We need an antidote or he'll die."

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Tarragon Layland – D6

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Rilly Jarson – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Bailey Fera – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Sage Freedan – D6

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Ector Cabot – D12

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><p><strong>AN: Again, I'm very sorry about the delay in the chapters. Now, question time!**

**What's Sage going to do now? What the heck is Lucien doing? Do you think Nayeli trusts Lucien? What's he planning? Do you think they have some chemistry or not? Do you feel bad for Wash? Is Dustin changing? Will they find an antidote for Wash? Should they form a mass alliance against Ector and the Careers?**

**Don't forget to check the forum. **

**I hope you have a great summer and I will update as soon as possible. It might be slow since I'm working on school work, college searches, and writing my other original works. **

**-AzianxPersuasion**

**P.S. How would you feel if I set up a small site for A Game of Chance? It'd be a tumblr page where I post graphics and posters and more. It'll be similar to the forum so you'd be able to message me and submit things. Or, would you rather keep the forum?**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note: I know I haven't really updated since about June. I still plan on finishing this story. I've been busy with a lot of school work (senior year is hard!) and writing my original novel. Both are a bit more important than this. But, never fear, this story will be finished!**

* * *

><p><strong>Gabrielle Dictatrix – District 2<strong>

The Games have finally changed Sorren. For the better, in my opinion. He has all this rage now and this anger that makes him even more attractive. He's fierce. He's different. He's not the same guy who entered the arena a few days ago. God, I don't even know what day it is. The days are all a blur now. What day is it? Day seven? Day ten? Day fifteen? I suppose I'll find out how many days this Game is when I win.

Sorren leans against a tree, running a finger across the blade. He doesn't even wince when he cuts his finger. He clenches his jaw, but has a blank stare on his face. He's not even affected by the pain anymore. He stares at the blood dripping down his finger. The axe that killed his sister is close to him.

Every now and then, he'll look at it and scowl. He must be dreaming up different ways to kill that tribute from Seven. His rage is fueling him now. What fuels me is my competitive streak, love of killing, and pride. Conrad is driven by pride. The other tributes are driven by their desire to live, but they won't win this game. Conrad won't win this game. I'll let Sorren get his revenge, but even he won't win. After he kills the tributes from Seven, I'll strike. He'll be too busy to notice a knife enter the back of his skull.

Conrad sits down to cook the three, pitiful rabbits I caught. He is always bragging and boasting about stupid crap. I tune out more than half the time. He thinks he's all that, but whenever I actually take the time to listen to his shit, he's not that impressive. He brags about all the girls he's slept with or killing a large mammal back in District Two. He thinks he's the best. He's not. I am. I've been training since I could walk.

"Did I ever tell you the time I killed two birds with one javlin?" Conrad says, poking the fire. He turns the rabbits over so they can continue cooking. I roll my eyes so far I swear they saw the back of my skull.

Sorren lets out an exhausted sigh and closes his eyes, presumably to tune out Conrad's big mouth. I don't want to listen to Conrad. He tells the same story over and over again with different situations. It's like a writer who writes the same story with different characters. There's something that's impossible, Conrad goes to try and do whatever is supposed to be impossible, he accomplishes whatever was impossible. I don't care.

I'm stuck here with two morons as I study them. Sorren is a hot mess to be honest. He's on the verge of becoming a killer, but he's just so sad looking all the time. Conrad is a boastful, arrogant git who just needs to learn to shut up. He goes on and on and on. After we eat, I just want to kill tributes. There are still ten of us. Ten of us fighting for eternal glory. That girl from Five is still out there along with that freak from Twelve. He's my next target. I want him dead. He's getting in the way of my killing tributes. After we eat, I'll talk with Dumb and Dumber to formulate a plan to kill Ector.

Conrad just continues to talk and talk. He goes from one story to another. Finally, I can't take it anymore.

"Shut up, dumb ass," I snap. I glare at him, narrowing my eyes into slits. "Shut up. I've heard you talking for hours when we should have been hunting for tributes."

Conrad raises his eyebrows and stands up. He keeps a hand on his sheathed sword. I cross my hands over my chest. I shake my head so my red hair isn't in my face. I scowl at him as he smirks.

"Or what, Princess? You still need me to help you get some tributes. Like that kid from Twelve or the girl from Five who you cannot kill for some reason," Conrad says matter-of-factly.

"You just need to shut up. I'm sick of hearing your voice. Even Sorren is sick of your bullshit. I'm positive at least 99% of your stories are lies," I say. I glance at Sorren.

"Don't drag me into this," Sorren says quietly. He continues to stand by his tree, fiddling with his weapons. He has no interest in joining in on our bickering.

"Get off your high horse, Gabrielle," Conrad retorts. "You are so full of hit. Just relax. I want to kill tributes as much as you do, but if you haven't noticed, our party is dwindling."

"Because you all won't do your jobs!" I growl. I knit my eyebrows in frustration. "You haven't done anything this entire Game."

"That is not true. I killed that chunk of meat from Three," Conrad says loudly. His grip on his sword tightens.

"Because I gave that girl to you." I keep an eye on him. He may pull his sword on me. If he does, I'm ready. I'm ready to slice him up.

"I've had enough of this shit," Conrad says tersely. "I'm going for a walk." His hold on his sword loosens. He pushes past me, heading towards the woods. I frown when he purposely bumps into me. I've had it with him. I don't need him anymore. I have Sorren on my side and he is all I need.

I pull out my knife. With a flick of my wrist, the knife goes soaring. My lips curl into a cruel smile as it connects with its target. Conrad grunts and slowly slumps to his knees. He collapses on the ground, my silver knife protruding from his back. I walk over and yank my sword out of his back. A cannon goes off.

My gaze turns towards Sorren, who doesn't say a thing. He glimpses at Conrad's body. "What?" I say innocently with a little shrug. "He talked too much."

**Lucien Ritsert – District 4**

Nayeli is nothing like I imagined her. She's calm, surprisingly. I imagined she'd be one extreme or another. Really spastic or violent. Maybe even both. She's so different, unlike anyone I'd ever met. She's thoughtful and intense, calm and confident, like fire and ice. When she walks, she takes her steps carefully, not making a single sound. She raises her sword, prepared to fight anyone who stands in her way.

"Be quiet," she whispers harshly.

"I'm not making a single sound!" I retort.

"You're breathing too loudly," she says.

"I find this extremely ironic that I'm the fisher and I'm not leading this hunting trip," I say light-heartedly.

"Believe it or not, I hunted a little bit in my district. And I didn't fish. There aren't any fish here, so unless you can use your trident to take down a rabbit or something, be quiet."

"I may not be able to use my trident to kill a rabbit, but I can throw pretty accurately. Besides, Parrow's snares should catch something that isn't a mutt," I tell her. We carefully step towards a trap Parrow set up. According to Nayeli, Parrow was the hunter in her family back in District Ten. Nayeli glances at me and nods towards the trap which holds a large rabbit. I kill the rabbit and bring it back to Nayeli. "How about that? It worked," I say with a grin. "One trap down, only three more to check."

"Good work," Nayeli says flatly. She lowers her sword and pulls out a throwing knife.

"You check the other snare. I'll go this way," I say. I head off towards another trap that isn't too far away. Nayeli walks in the other direction, her boots barely making a sound on the dry ground.

The dwindling number of tributes makes me nervous. I can't think like the way I used to before the Games. I'm looking over my shoulder every minute. Sometimes my hands shake from anxiety, fearing a tribute is going to come and kill me. It's kill or be killed and that idea is becoming more and more prevalent each moment I'm with my new alliance. My mind creates all sorts of scenarios that could happen within the next few days. I wonder if I'll have to kill Parrow or Nayeli. I don't want to kill either of them. Only Ector. Although, I could settle with offing Gabrielle, Conrad, and Ector.

I don't know how long I've been standing there, just staring at the dead rabbit in the trap. The rabbit quivers and it looks at me with pure terror. I never even glanced at the first rabbit to see how it looked at me. Is this what people look like when they're about to die? Wide eyed, terrified, sad… These musings get the better of me and I cut the rabbit free. I have no problem with killing fish, but staring at a rabbit here…These games give you a whole new perspective on life, people, responsibilities, and death.

A cannon sounds in the distance. Crows caw and fly away from the dead trees. A girl screams bloody murder. In a split second, I'm sprinting towards the trap Nayeli is checking. We meet at the first snare. Nayeli is bounding towards me, holding a rabbit in her hand. She stares at me with wide eyes. I know exactly what she's thinking. Parrow.

We run to our campsite and find Parrow standing with her bow raised. Her jaw is clenched as she trains her arrow on us. We hold our hands up, breathing heavily. "Shit, Parrow, watch where you aim that," I breathe.

"Well, sorry, but this is the Hunger Games in case you missed the memo," Parrow shoots back. She lowers her bow and puts her arrow back into the quiver. "Oh, good, you brought back dinner."

"A cannon still went off," Nayeli points out. "And we don't know who it was who died."

"Did you want to move?" I ask her.

"The cannon sounded pretty far off and when I saw the hovercraft, it looked like it was on the other side of the arena," Parrow says. She takes the rabbits and begins the process of skinning them. "Did the second snare catch anything?"

I shake my head. "N—no. Nothing." Nayeli raises an eyebrow and puts on a strange look.

"We should come up with a plan of attack," Nayeli says quietly. We sit down next to each other as Parrow takes care of the rabbits. She knows more about hunting and cooking than Nayeli and I.

"What sort of plan?" Parrow glances up for a moment.

"I say we hang out here for a while and let the other tributes duke it out. I'm not particularly looking forward to fighting District Two tributes or Sorren," I say. As much as I want to kill Gabrielle and Conrad, I'd rather not engage in a fight with them. And Sorren with his newfound anger is a powerful motivator for fighting.

"What about when the feast comes?" Nayeli adds.

"We go to the feast, get our packs, and get the hell out," I say.

"The feast is usually a trap though. The Gamemakers use it to draw in tributes so they can die," says Parrow.

I shrug a little and nod. "You're right, but if it has something we need like water or first aid supplies, we should probably go. We can formulate a more complicated plan later on." Nayeli looks at me, smiling halfway. "Speaking of water, we should probably look for some." I get our canteens out of our packs, handing one to Nayeli. "Nayeli, we should go and look for some water." Parrow will continue to prepare and cook the rabbits.

Nayeli and I head away from the camp once more. I want to keep her close because I don't want to lose such a valuable ally. I glance at her and smile. She tries to avoid my gaze and pushes her hair back behind her ear.

"Tell me about yourself," I say softly. We don't speak too loudly in case other tributes are listening in or hoping to sneak up on us.

"Tell me about myself? Are you serious?" she says with a laugh.

"Yeah, tell me about yourself. I want to get to know my ally," I say.

"Alright," Nayeli says quietly. "I'm Nayeli Morte, District 5. I'm 15…I mean…16…" She pauses. I open my mouth to say something, but she begins speaking again. "I forgot about my birthday. These…these games got in the way." She laughs half-heartedly. "I've got a best friend back home. Felix. I have…had a brother who went to the Hunger Games. He didn't make it out. I have a younger sister. My family is great…I don't know why I volunteered though. Sure, I volunteered for that young girl so she wouldn't have to suffer…but I guess there just isn't much for me back home. I can't go back home. If I win, I'll be in a Victor's Mansion with my family and that's great…It's just that…I don't know. I'm not going to be the same person I once was. I just…we are all going to be so messed up. There's nothing left for me there."

That's when I see her for who she really is. Nayeli is a selfless and depressed girl who deeply misses her brother. She's still stuck in the stages of grief from losing her brother. Obviously, she loved him and looked up to him. Nayeli also wants to save others and never mind the fact that she's losing herself. I stop her from walking and gaze into her eyes. They're bright and seem to never end. They've seen more hardships than I have.

"My life is rather unimpressive as the mayor's son. I've got a sister and I constantly live in her shadow," I begin. "My father's always disappointed in me. I'm supposed to be the perfect son of the mayor. I thought I was the shit." I get a small laugh from Nayeli. "Seriously though. I didn't think the rules applied to me. Always rebelling and getting into trouble. Not thinking about the consequences." We continue walking in search of water. But being in these Games, I'm only now realizing that there are always rules under the Capitol. We're just pieces in their Games here."

**Sage Freedan – District 6**

Branches and twigs cut my fair skin. The cold burns my face. My legs and lungs ache. My arms are tired. I just want to go home. I don't want to be in this Game anymore. I don't want to be here. I just want my family and my home. I would give anything to be back home. I wish I was in my bed, warm and covered.

My skin stings as I slow to a stop. My heart is pounding in my chest and in my ears. It takes a few minutes for me to even catch my breath. Everyone in my alliance is gone. How can I possibly survive now? I don't have any weapons, food, water, or other supplies. I've got the clothes on my back. Nothing else.

There's eleven of us left. There was a cannon earlier, but I don't know who it could have been. That darkhaired girl from five? Maybe Wash? Or Dustin? Or Clara even? I doubt it's one of the Careers. Who would even think of going after the Careers? With the exception of Ector of course. Ector would have the audacity to attack them.

I slide down to the ground, leaning against a tree. I just need to rest for a little bit to recharge. My legs are like jelly. After sitting down, I don't think I'll ever get back up. I can't even think of going back home. I haven't killed anyone, but I'll always be scared. I'm paranoid that someone will stab me in the back. If I win, what if the Capitol comes for me. I can't think like this though….But is it even possible for me to win? I don't have any supplies or food or water. I have nothing.

The only way I can win is if I join another alliance. But people are going to be unwilling to form new alliances this far into the game. People will start turning on each other. At this stage, the Careers will turn on each other if they haven't already. The Careers have been cut down to three. Sorren has gone mad. The last string inside of him broke when his sister died.

I don't know what's happening with Nayeli, the girl who spared me in the Bloodbath, or to Wash, Dustin, or even Parrow. They have all gone their separate ways. And none of their faces have shown up in the sky.

Maxwell is dead. I saw his face in the sky last night. I've lost track of the days and nights now. Has it been five days? Seven? Ten? The days become a mash of events. Each days is a day away from home. I wish I could be home. I wish it so badly.

This arena is so different from all the other arenas in past games. I glance up at a crow with blood red eyes. It stares down at me and I bite my lip. Another one lands on the branch next to the first one. Then two more. And another. Soon, there were approximately fifteen birds. I slowly rise, pushing my hands off the ground. A couple of them caw loudly. A cannon booms and the crows get louder and louder. I take off running again. The birds begin to dive at me.

I scream as they start pecking at me. I swat them away, pushing them onto the ground and against trees. The trees start to crack and collapse around me. The crows screech and fly around me. I shriek and shield my eyes and face. I wince as a crow takes a chunk of my flesh. It stings and blood flows down my arms and legs as more and more crows start to eat me alive.

Soon, there's enough crows that prevent me from seeing what's directly in front of me. My skin is raw and bloody from all the crows nibbling on me. I cry out as I fall to the ground. I can't even tell if I was pushed or if I tripped. I curl up into a ball as the crows continue their attack.

Suddenly, the crows fly away one by one. I look down at my mutilated arms and legs. They hurt so much and I can't move them. I quickly scan my surroundings. I cringe when a maniacal laugh echoes throughout the trees. Everything hurts too much to move. Another laugh rings out and I have to force myself to stand.

As soon as I stand up, I'm knocked back down again by a strong force. Ector sneers at me. He holds a knife dripping with blood. His hair lies in a disheveled mess, his nose is crooked and bloody, and his face is dark with grime and dirt.

"Look at what we have here. It's Little Red," Ector hisses. He lightly drags the knife along my arm. He has me pinned down so I can't get up. One arm is held down and his knee is on my chest. I can't escape. There's no chance of escape. "Let's play doctor, shall we? I'll be the doctor and you can be the patient." He laughs loudly and I let out a blood curdling scream. He digs his knife into one of my crow wounds.

He slices through my skin and squirm underneath his weight. I can't do this. I can't do this anymore. Ector licks the blood off his knife. "I've always loved the coppery taste of blood. What about you, Little Red?" He raises an eyebrow, smirking. He cuts through my hands. "Let's see what the bones in your hands look like."

I scream again and again as Ector cuts me up like an animal. I'm his prey. Finally, I close my eyes. I can't feel my legs and I'm so cold. My lower lip trembles. I look up at the sky and begin humming a lullaby my mother sang to me when I was younger. My vision begins to get black around the edges. I feel so numb now. Nothing seems so bad anymore. Living is hard. Dying is easy. Death is like sleep, only more permanent. But then again, my mother used to say that that we will only be dead for a short amount of time. Later on, we'll wake up and live an eternity in a paradise. One day, death will die as well.

**Parrow Hosira – District 10**

Nayeli and Lucien are getting along rather well. I don't know what happened when they were hunting for water, but they seem to have really bonded. Nayeli is actually smiling, a genuine smile. Lucien seems different too.

I cook the rabbits we caught with a technique my mother taught me. The way I cooked it led to minimum smoke. Tributes shouldn't be attracted by it. They won't be hunting us down. As night falls, the tributes will hopefully be resting so they can hunt tomorrow. At least the Careers. As far as I know, Dustin, Wash, and Clara won't be hunting tributes. We won't be hunting tributes. We just want to survive. I can't imagine what's going to happen when it gets down to the final eight…final six…final three…and the final two. As much as I want to win and get back to my sister in time for her wedding, I'd rather not have to kill Nayeli or Lucien. They've both been so kind.

"Parrow, the rabbit was fantastic," Nayeli says with a small smile. She plays with one of her knives.

Lucien leans back and glances up at the dark sky. There aren't any stars, not even fake ones the Gamemakers make. I wonder if the arena is actually outside or if the force field around the arena prevents a real moon and stars from shining through. I wonder if all the arenas have skies like these.

"Good thing they were poisonous. You never know with those Gamemakers," Lucien says. "Where do you take a fish that's ill?"

"Oh, please don't," Nayeli says at him.

I roll my eyes. The District Four boy is still cracking jokes, despite being in this awful game. "Where?" I ask in a low voice.

"To the Doc-topus, of course!" Lucien laughs. I can't help but laugh a little. Lucien's reaction to his own joke is funnier than the actual joke.

"Do you think you could keep your jokes at bay?" Nayeli asks. She stares up at the sky.

Lucien and I start to laugh at her pun. She doesn't even realize it at first. It just makes us laugh even more. Finally, Nayeli understands the joke. We laugh together for a bit until we sober up. All three of us lay down for a while, only to look at the sky and nonexistent stars.

"Happy Birthday, Nayeli," Lucien says.

"Thanks," Nayeli replies.

I had no idea it was her birthday. I wish her a happy birthday. We fall silent as we observe the night sky. The anthem starts to play and the seal of Panem flashes. Two faces appear. Conrad from District Two and Sage from District Six. I wonder who got Conrad. Ector is still around, as well as Clara, Dustin, and Wash. Sage could have been killed by the Careers or Ector. The other three wouldn't have killed Sage. The seal appears again before dissolving into the dark sky. The only light we have is the sporadic moonlight shining down through the branches. The shadows look almost like black bones on the dry ground.

"My brother once told me I was good at poetry," Nayeli says. "He believed everyone was good at something. Parrow's good at hunting…Lucien, you have your jokes. My friend Felix is basically a god with a paintbrush. I disagree about the poetry thing."

"Do you think you could come up with a short poem for us?" I ask her.

"I couldn't do that…not on the spot," she answers.

"Well, you brought it up. I think it's only proper that you give us a poem," Lucien tells her. He continues to bug her until she finally gives in.

"This might be a little rusty and terrible," Nayeli says. She purses her lips in deep thought. It takes some time before she starts her poem.

_"We're going somewhere away from here,  
>Where there's no hiding and no fear.<br>No stars burn in this night sky,  
>We're going where our immortal cannot die.<br>Somewhere where there is no pain,  
>Far away from this cruel game.<br>We're leaving and going far, far away,  
>The sun will rise another day."<em>

Everything falls silent. All the creatures seem to stop making noise. Everyone sounds like they've stopped breathing for a while. The melancholy poem causes me to ache for home. We need to get through another night. I volunteer to have first watch.

A silver parachute falls towards Nayeli. She must have gotten a sponsor after reciting her moving poem. She opens it and finds a blanket. The air gets colder and colder each night. It's big enough for two. Lucien gives me his jacket to keep warm. He and Nayeli rest under the warmth of the blanket.

After a couple of hours, I wake up Lucien and he takes over. I cover up with the blanket, careful not to disturb the sleeping Nayeli. I sleep dreamlessly for what feels like only twenty minutes. Although I had to have been asleep longer than that since Lucien and Nayeli both took shifts to keep watch.

I'm woken up as Nayeli shakes my shoulders. She's removed the blanket and Lucien is cleaning up the campsite. "We've got to go," Nayeli says. "We've got to start moving. The Careers will be on the move."

It doesn't take long to clean up the campsite to make it look as if no one was ever there. We immediately start moving. We don't get far before the ground starts to shake. I fear it may be another earthquake. The ground starts to crack and I jump to dodge a fissure. A tree falls in front of me and I skid to a stop. Nayeli turns around and takes my hand.

"Come on! Who knows what the Gamemakers will do next!" she yells. Rocks crumble and fall into the cracks in the ground. Lucien pushes us forward and we begin to sprint faster. The tree roots start lifting from the ground. It's like they're walking. They groan as they creep towards us. The branches reach down, swiping at us. Faces seem to morph on the trunks.

"What the hell are those?!" I scream.

"Tree muttations," Lucien shouts.

"Run!" Nayeli cries out.

My legs and lungs start to tire as we run from the muttations. Nayeli and Lucien stop abruptly. I stand slightly behind them. They're looking up at a large tree. The largest tree in the woods. I stare down at where its roots should be. But they aren't roots. They're more like paws. When my eyes go back to study the tree, it looks more like a beast and less like a tree. I gasp as the branch swings down. It knocks me and Nayeli over to one side and Lucien falls to the other side. Nayeli scrambles to her feet and helps me up.

She shoves me forward. It's hard to run when you can't breathe and your legs are like wet noodles. Nayeli catches up with Lucien. The beast roars and charges at them. They dodge it and disappear into the woods. I suck it up and start sprinting to join them. I don't even see the beast hit me.

I go flying in the air and land on my back. I cough, trying to get air into my lungs. I gasp, having difficulty breathing. I roll onto my side, struggling to stand. The ground shakes. I look up and the beast is going the other way. I hear Nayeli and Lucien shouting and screaming. Trees and branches snap. The ground starts to crack underneath me. I crawl the other way to escape the crevasse. I glance back and see the beast being set on fire.

The beast goes down as the flames engulf it. I search for Nayeli and Lucien, but I can't find them. I limp through the woods, leaning on trees for support. There's a small ringing in my ears. My vision is starting to blur and I think I'm seeing double. I wipe the blood from my mouth. My nostrils are assaulted by smoke. It stings my nose and my lungs. I don't' know where the fire is or how fast it's spreading. I can only hope it's not coming towards me. I start coughing and collapse against a tree.

* * *

><p><strong>Dead:<strong>

Sapphire Princeps – D1

Conrad Avtlift – D2

Pietta Carmelle – D3

Maxwell Hoover Demonico – D3

Morgan Colliet – D4

Kage Hatenn – D5

Sage Freedan – D6

Tarragon Layland – D6

Corduroy Dowlas – D8

Rilly Jarson – D8

Gem Minx – D9

Trenton Cedar – D10

Maize Koranon – D11

Bailey Fera – D11

Larkspur Fisole – D12

**Alive:**

Sorren Princeps –D1

Gabrielle Dictatrix – D2

Lucien Ritsert – D4

Nayeli Morte – D5

Washington Hayner – D7

Clara Lignum – D7

Dustin Proelia – D9

Parrow Hosira – D10

Ector Cabot – D12

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Tell me what you think of this chapter! :) Also, tell me what you'd like to see happen and who your favorite tributes are. I also want to know if your view of some of the tributes has changed at all. Sorry if Nayeli's poem is crappy by the way. I'm not a poet. O.O<strong>

**And finally, some ending questions. What's going to happen to Wash? What's going on with Lucien and Nayeli? What do you think of Lucien and Nayeli's backstories? Is Parrow going to die? Why won't Ector just die? What will happen with Sorren and Gabrielle now that Conrad's dead? Who will be next to die? And...Who's excited for Catching Fire?**

**Until next time! (Which hopefully won't be too long!)**


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